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

[Vidia2]

I was planning on going over on Saturday to catch one of the Lion King shows. I may need to re-consider this or just go over and get a box of popcorn and watch the craziness that is happening near any of the distribution centers.

Please report back if you go.

 

[Missyrose]

I'm just guessing that the ones who have KTTW cards will be able to use them as a stand alone FP+ tool just like offsite. This would lower the perk for value resort guests who aren't AP holders.

This has already been "tested" and accepted by the value resort crowd by allowing AP holders to pull additional FPs separate from their bands.

JMO but I don't think there will be any adding of benefits for lower paying guests at this point. The incentives are there. Buy APs. Stay onsite. Stay in a mod or deluxe resort to have a better plan. It all makes sense to me. It's about money. They want to fill resort rooms and APs and lock everyone in.

The "indication" is that this is what has already been happening.

No chance. The reason why people can double dip with the legacy FP machines is because they are not connected to the MDE system. The KTTW cards are connected, so the system won't magically allow onsite guests to leap past the three-FP+ limit.

 

[Silock]

Like your statement that the rope drop experience will "no doubt" be affected. As far as I'm concerned, there is a doubt. If all of the FPs are sold out in advance, some people who might otherwise have come to the park later may come earlier to take advantage of shorter standby lines. But others, like people who got a FP+ schedule from their travel agents, may not feel compelled to get to the parks until the first of those FP times comes up.

But even if you did schedule FP+ from your travel agent, there's still the possibility that the late ones are doled out. That's going to happen regardless of who books it, you or the TA. Some people are going to have early reservations that wouldn't have been at the park otherwise. And because of tiering, even if you have a late one, if you want to ride TT or Soarin' without a 2 hour wait, you have to get there early. Before, you could still show up later and get a FP, even if the return time was in the late evening.

I can't see a scenario where RD ISN'T affected.

 

[Silock]

That anecdotal evidence about more mature CMs could be used to support the general proposition that older people are generally more resistant to change.

It could also be used to support the general proposition that older people are wiser, and don't like BAD changes.

 

[btk2333]

But even if you did schedule FP+ from your travel agent, there's still the possibility that the late ones are doled out. That's going to happen regardless of who books it, you or the TA. Some people are going to have early reservations that wouldn't have been at the park otherwise. And because of tiering, even if you have a late one, if you want to ride TT or Soarin' without a 2 hour wait, you have to get there early. Before, you could still show up later and get a FP, even if the return time was in the late evening.

I can't see a scenario where RD ISN'T affected.

You are assuming the masses will all of a sudden start waking up early and becoming efficient park tourers. I assert that this will not happen (people will sleep through their early FP+ reservations just like they sleep through morning EMH now). At least I don't think changes will happen to the degree that it will ruin RD for the rest of us.

 

[btk2333]

It could also be used to support the general proposition that older people are wiser, and don't like BAD changes.

I can make broad blanket statements too

Some people think ALL changes are BAD changes

 

[rebbyparker]

It could also be used to support the general proposition that older people are wiser, and don't like BAD changes.

Without stating my age, I'm going to agree with this.

 

[surferdave]

I was planning on going over on Saturday to catch one of the Lion King shows. I may need to re-consider this or just go over and get a box of popcorn and watch the craziness that is happening near any of the distribution centers.

Video please. Take a tripod.

 

[baileybrad]

Of course you are not anti-Disney, anymore than those that like it are lazy, senile or uninformed.

Hopefully that was with a large factor of sarcasm. There are a bunch of things that I like and do not like about Disney. My dislike of the FP+ system vs. the existing system is that, based on the times of the year when my family can visit Disney, there will be negative impact in our enjoyment (maximizing our exposure to E ticket type attractions) at the parks.

The issue that Disney actually thinks that they can somehow "manage" us in to locking up our days with them based on this new system is comical to us.

Sincerely, to anyone who thinks that FP+ is a positive, not my business or concern.

I do not see how Disney can spin the new system as being a level playing field for all guests. My guess is that they can't. Spending time at park opening hanging out in a long line inside a gift shop to make FP+ selections seems very unfair to those guests. This has really been thought through ???

I do disagree with several who voice opinions on this site that Disney had no choice but to be secretive and not forthcoming in their overall timeline for implementation of this new way of avoiding standby lines at their parks. I think that trying to defend the company in this matter is sort of lame. Hopefully, that does not lump them in with words like lazy, senile, and uninformed that, based on your post, some in the FP- camp have attached to people who have enjoyed the merits of FP+ by making fastpass selections in advance for their families.

 

[Vidia2]

No chance. The reason why people can double dip with the legacy FP machines is because they are not connected to the MDE system. The KTTW cards are connected, so the system won't magically allow onsite guests to leap past the three-FP+ limit.

I think the double dipping was allowed during testing because it was part of the test as well as the final rollout plan. I don't think it was an oversight. The new system will allow any tweaks that would enable onsite guests to double dip.

 

[Mkrop]

Nope. I've got a split stay in April between two DVC stays, and received a flash drive Friday. Only one though.

We just had a split stay DVC AKL Jambo/BWV at the beg of Dec and we did not receive a flash drive or magnet. Just an email after we had booked our FP+s

Again, yes, I do realize that. However, people who are insisting that nothing is being held back are probably wrong, given te fact that you can get a same day TSMM FP+ reservation.

Or maybe someone cancelled a FP+ reservation and your friend lucked out

 

[baileybrad]

It could also be used to support the general proposition that older people are wiser, and don't like BAD changes.

And it could also evidence that someone (Disney Management - people who have most likely never toured a park like a regular guest in years if ever) think that change for the sake of change is a good change. Frontline people who understand how guests are really impacted should have had much more input. Instead, in Disney eyes, the bean counters have came out on top again.

 

[doconeill]

We just had a split stay DVC AKL Jambo/BWV at the beg of Dec and we did not receive a flash drive or magnet. Just an email after we had booked our FP+s

I don't know exactly when they started sending flash drives, but it is somewhat recent.

 

[Vidia2]

I do not see how Disney can spin the new system as being a level playing field for all guests. My guess is that they can't. I do disagree with several who voice opinions on this site that Disney had no choice but to be secretive and not forthcoming in their overall timeline for implementation of this new way of avoiding standby lines at their parks. I think that trying to defend the company in this matter is sort of lame.

Disney doesn't care about fair and they are not above taking away anything. It's not about spin any longer. It's about what we'll accept.

 

[stormtracker]

The 18th could end up being a great day to go. While everyone is lined up at the kiosks, you could be riding EE over and over with little or no wait!

 

[Silock]

You are assuming the masses will all of a sudden start waking up early and becoming efficient park tourers. I assert that this will not happen (people will sleep through their early FP+ reservations just like they sleep through morning EMH now). At least I don't think changes will happen to the degree that it will ruin RD for the rest of us.

I didn't say it would RUIN RD. I just said that RD would be less effective.

Currently, those that don't want to wake up early don't have any real incentive to do so because they could get a FP for TT or Soarin' when they got to the park. But, if they have a scheduled FP for early in the morning because that's the only one available, they have significant incentive to get there early.

We all know that crowds get a bump in the middle of the day because of the late arrivals. Now, that bump will be smoothed out and shifted toward the morning. The total number of people in the park will be the same, so the midday crowds will be less pronounced, but at the expense of more people there earlier.

That may not be the case for DHS and TSMM, though. People already stampede for that. FP+ won't make the situation BETTER, though; it will just be different.

 

[Silock]

I can make broad blanket statements too

Some people think ALL changes are BAD changes

And some people think Disney can do no wrong!

Round and round we go, Jack! - Ben Stiller, "Meet the Parents"

 

[wrighter]

Hmmm...maybe. This is our first stay there, we're usually at the Poly, so I'm not familiar with what they do differently.

We are staying in April at AKV (also a DVC) and got ours last week.

 

[wrighter]

The 18th could end up being a great day to go. While everyone is lined up at the kiosks, you could be riding EE over and over with little or no wait!

Or if Disney manages to get the word out about this "wonderful test!" maybe park numbers will be low that day because people don't want to be guinea pigs. Although then Disney will be able to say it all went off without a hitch! No screaming mobs at kiosks! Job well done!

Gonna get interesting real quick.

 

[lugnut33]

Even Disney foresees problems with people getting fastpasses for some attractions at busy times of the year. This is directly from their website:

Depending on availability, you should be able to make up to 3 FastPass+ selections for attractions and entertainment each day at one theme park.

As with any popular attraction or experience, we encourage you to make your FastPass+ selections early as this will give you more opportunity to secure your favorites.

Definitely good to know this:

While FastPass+ service is a convenient option to help make your vacation experience better than ever, if you wish, you can still enjoy the parks as you have in the past. While you may lose the opportunity to use an attraction’s FastPass+ entrance if you miss your arrival window time, all operating attractions still provide a standby queue where you can wait to enjoy the attraction.

And it's completely within the realm of possibility that people will be locked out of FP+ even before their 60 days comes around. If somebody knows, is it 60+10 days that one can make FP+ appointments? I cannot find it anywhere on the WDW website. If it is 60+10, then during busy times of the year, say Christmas, everyone coming in on Dec. 20th could make appointments out until Dec. 30th. It happens now with popular ADRs and I see no reason that it couldn't happen for TSMM, RnR, Soarin, and Test Track.