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

[bcrook]

Point taken, unless FP+ are held back as ADRs are, which I believe will be the case.

That has been the hope of many. Standby might be the "held back" portion.

 

[doconeill]

I haven't read that in one single press release, blog, news story or quote. This has never been about equity.

There was a post from He Who Shall Not Be Named where he claimed that fairness was part of the equation.

 

[clsteve]

A few weeks ago I quoted from a guide that I had from 1993 that says that the most important things for a successful WDW vacation are (1) learning how the rides work and what you want to do, (2) visiting at a less busy time, and (3) arriving at the park early.

And yet, without fail, as we leave a park at 1 PM on a busy holiday the gates are jammed with people trying to get into the park and, as they enter, they stop and look at their maps to see how to get to something.

I am confident that human nature is a lot more powerful than Disney marketing. In fact, the tendency to get to the park early to get standby rides could be offset by people who feel entitled to sleep in because they have PM FP reservations. It will be interesting to see how it plays out when everything is fully implemented.

The same goes for people making FP+ reservations 60 days out. My observation is that a majority of people are poor planners and natural procrastinators, even for things that are a lot more critical than making theme park ride reservations.

If you are correct, we'll have a brand new Executive Team to discuss in about 18 months.

Not necessarily a bad thing. But it's funny how that same Marketing Department some are doubting keeps all of us going back, and back, and back again.......

 

[mom2rtk]

If you are correct, we'll have a brand new Executive Team to discuss in about 18 months.

Not necessarily a bad thing. But it's funny how that same Marketing Department some are doubting keeps all of us going back, and back, and back again.......

In all fairness though..... that could be in spite of them as opposed to because of them.

 

[wen8jr]

That's great, unless you have a medically fragile child who can't get to the parks early, or young kids whose routines do not necessarily jive with FP return time, etc.

Well, I personally don't see how being required to book an exact time for a ride and/or multiple rides throughout a day 60 days out helps this type of situation out either for any child. A child's routine is generally dictated by the day if not by the hour.

IMO - this type of pre-planning will make it even more difficult for anyone who has a challenged schedule.

 

[wen8jr]

It was fair. It was level. Everyone had the same opportunity. I haven't seen any post that convinces me that because some people wanted to sleep in and didn't take advantage, that it was unfair. This new system is not on the same level at all. They've taken something that everyone had the opportunity to obtain and offered it to select people only. Now that's unfair and unlevel and everyone does not have the same opportunity.

Exactly.

 

[Mkrop]

Well, I personally don't see how being required to book an exact time for a ride and/or multiple rides throughout a day 60 days out helps this type of situation out either for any child. A child's routine is generally dictated by the day if not by the hour.

IMO - this type of pre-planning will make it even more difficult for anyone who has a challenged schedule.

Exactly they need more flexibility not less, they might not be able to head to a park if it is raining, and if there is no availability to switch then they are out of luck.

And wouldnt a family with this type of member, one who has medical needs, benefit from the GAC more than FP+

 

[joelkfla]

I can't seem to find any updates to the original point of this post. Has it been confirmed that AK is removing traditional FP machines already? We are offsite guest next week, over Christmas.

Some info was posted for cm's yesterday:

• The test begins 12/18. No end date was in the communication.
• Any Guest visiting DAK during the test will have the option to participate (the other option is Standby).
• FP machines will be covered up (not removed.)
• Guests can select up to 3 FP+ experiences; no mention of tiers.
• Off-site Guests may select & change their experiences only at FP+ kiosks (which will have expanded staffing.) MDE can be used to view times, but not to make changes (by off-site Guests; on-site will continue as now.)
• Guests will be given a Times Guide sized paper slip listing the available experiences, with space to write in the appt. times. Or, Disney suggests they take a phone photo of the kiosk screen.
• Guests must select all 3 experiences at one time. They can make changes later as available.
• There are no plans to charge for FP+ in the future.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

[*]Guests will be given a Times Guide sized paper slip listing the available experiences, with space to write in the appt. times. Or, Disney suggests they take a phone photo of the kiosk screen.
[/LIST]

Oh, neither of these will slow down the line at all.

 

[joelkfla]

I was watching the Mary Martin musical of Peter Pan on You-Tube today.

One of the things Peter sang about Never-Never Land: "Where time is never planned."

 

[Mkrop]

and can someone tell me how this is fair to those who dont have smartphones or the ability to book this easily from home

 

[clsteve]

In all fairness though..... that could be in spite of them as opposed to because of them.

The Exec Suits or the Marketing Suits....

I vote in spite of both!

But, we've continued to go in spite of, which allows them to put programs in place focused on others.

Not programs about fairness, nor increased ride capacity, nor about maintaining certain levels of quality - but about new markets. The last Rasulo interview points it out in brutal detail.

 

[Laketravis]

Some info was posted for cm's yesterday:

• The test begins 12/18. No end date was in the communication.
• Any Guest visiting DAK during the test will have the option to participate (the other option is Standby).
• FP machines will be covered up (not removed.)
• Guests can select up to 3 FP+ experiences; no mention of tiers.
• Off-site Guests may select & change their experiences only at FP+ kiosks (which will have expanded staffing.) MDE can be used to view times, but not to make changes (by off-site Guests; on-site will continue as now.)
• Guests will be given a Times Guide sized paper slip listing the available experiences, with space to write in the appt. times. Or, Disney suggests they take a phone photo of the kiosk screen.
• Guests must select all 3 experiences at one time. They can make changes later as available.
• There are no plans to charge for FP+ in the future.

We went to AK three times while we were at WDW a couple of weeks ago. Every time we sat down with our ice cream or pretzels we would count the number of people who walked by wearing MB's and those that didn't.

It seemed to be pretty even - 50/50. For every person who was wearing a MB, somebody wasn't.

Some people might have taken it off and put it in their pocket but that is still a lot of off-site guests.

 

[wisblue]

If you are correct, we'll have a brand new Executive Team to discuss in about 18 months.

Not necessarily a bad thing. But it's funny how that same Marketing Department some are doubting keeps all of us going back, and back, and back again.......

That's not necessarily true. Disney just wants people to stay onsite and go to their parks instead of somewhere else. I don't think they really care if you book your FPs 60 days in advance or 1, or if you arrive at the park at opening or at noon.

 

[Laketravis]

The Exec Suits or the Marketing Suits....

I vote in spite of both!

But, we've continued to go in spite of, which allows them to put programs in place focused on others.

Not programs about fairness, nor increased ride capacity, nor about maintaining certain levels of quality - but about new markets. The last Rasulo interview points it out in brutal detail.

I'm betting they've got half a FY to get this right, and we'll be seeing continued acceleration with the roll-out because of that. Last conference call, the expectation was clear that the entire MB+ program needs to start yielding results ($$$).

 

[wisblue]

Just because they may have done it before with respect to FPs, I don't see why Disney should have any obligation to treat offsite guests exactly the same as onsite guests. How shocked could you be if the final version of FP+ gives offsite guests fewer reservations or a later window date?

In this era of loyalty programs, it's pretty common for one set of customers to get a different deal than others.

 

[Laketravis]

Just because they may have done it before with respect to FPs, I don't see why Disney should have any obligation to treat offsite guests exactly the same as onsite guests. How shocked could you be if the final version of FP+ gives offsite guests fewer reservations or a later window date?

In this era of loyalty programs, it's pretty common for one set of customers to get a different deal than others.

Right. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as EMH's and other perks like....like.....like.....okay, I can't remember the others but EMH is definitely one of them.

So Disney does it, Universal does it (FOTL and early admission), I suppose it wouldn't be unusual for off-site guests to not have access to an FP system if Disney decided they wanted to keep that option for on-site guests only.

Unless, of course, Disney believed the Standby line situation would be so bad for off-site guests that it wouldn't meet even a minimum level of guest satisfaction.

 

[Vidia2]

And wouldnt a family with this type of member, one who has medical needs, benefit from the GAC more than FP+

Many users of the new DAS are now using FP+ as well as the system for disabilities. FP+ is easier for many with disabilities to use because you don't have run across the park to get them.

 

[clsteve]

That's not necessarily true. Disney just wants people to stay onsite and go to their parks instead of somewhere else. I don't think they really care if you book your FPs 60 days in advance or 1, or if you arrive at the park at opening or at noon.

I think many of us have been saying this very thing for a very long time.

I'm not quite understanding your point here...?

 

[Vidia2]

Don't they need to give us an incentive to stay onsite? If you drive ME, isn't incentive. EMH is not enforced so anyone can do that. Still not an incentive if it's enforced IMO. Dining plans are not a value unless they're free.

If offsite gets 60 days, a lot of people will start staying offsite because why bother?

If advanced booking is only for onsite then there will be more demand for onsite and they'll build more rooms. Maybe it's one reason they built Art of Animation.