All The New Developments

[Golf4283]

You realize it doesn't take a lot of effort to get more than 3 FPs a day - right? And right now - I KNOW that the rides I want will have availability the day I arrive. With FP+ it is unlikely that we will be able to get coveted FPs the day of. I see the potential for long wait lines...and as the mom of a small child who is very antsy...and a DH who is even worse in lines...I just don't see us continuing to vacation when there is that much stress to plan and long lines to wait in if I can't get the FP I want.

Once again all your angst is based off of assumptions. Not facts. "I assume this will happen"

Our experience with the fastpass+ gave us more flexibility with our children and even if one of us was not in the mood we just switched.

Do you really think they would plan to have all fastpasses used up by the time the park opens? If I has to guess id say they'll release waves of fastpass+ availability. But there I go just assuming something positive.... We can only assume the negatives here.

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[UNCFanatik]

I don't need wi-fi to access the program...my phone will do it. And the program doesn't work - it is REALLY slow.

There is a DVC member who is there now live posting about their FP experience. Reading their report - they are spending a lot of time every day working on their FP+ with the FP+ people. It has become such an issue that they gave them 2 bonus anytime FPs a day. AND they no longer are supposed to use their app to make FP+ changes because each time they do it messes stuff up so now they have to go to guest relations if they want to change a FP+ time.

That doesn't sound like a success to me.

Sounds like a normal test to me. There will be problems along the way that have to be fixed. Too early to deem the whole thing not a "success" unless one is hoping the whole thing will fail and they will scrap the whole project and go back to the previous FP system

 

[doconeill]

The example you give of the wifi is exactly a fear of the unknown. You dont know if the AT&T upgrades will help. You are just ASSUMING it wont. It is a fear of the unknown in that case.

As an IT person who deals with wireless networks regularly (including some complicated ones), I have my doubts. I know how hard it is to get a wireless network working reliably on a smaller scale...what Disney is doing is unprecedented, really. Not just providing Wi-Fi, but expecting it to be utilized, by thousands.

Nothing in the AT&T announcement mentioned wi-fi, although often times the same repeaters can be used.

I was just there July 17th-23rd. WiFi worked fine both in park and in resort. Website has never crashed for me...either on desktop at home or on app on iPhone while on vacation.
Not to discredit those who have had trouble, but I just never have had any trouble. And I've taken three Disney vacations since February, so I've been on the websites and app a lot.

I used it 5/31-6/2.

The resort was fine, between the in-room and common area connections. Quite decent, actually.

In park was a very different story. It seemed to work well the first day, but I didn't use it extensively...a few tweets and checks of email. But on the second day, where I was trying to tweet some pics, it fell apart. It had trouble obtaining an address even while connected, and even if I got an address, I couldn't get updates. I eventually had to turn wi-fi off because the constant attempts at connecting were killing the battery...I was 90% drained after a full charge by 7pm...a full charge generally lasts me 1.5 days.

On the last day, I left wi-fi off.

 

[rt2dz]

I was just there July 17th-23rd. WiFi worked fine both in park and in resort. Website has never crashed for me...either on desktop at home or on app on iPhone while on vacation.
Not to discredit those who have had trouble, but I just never have had any trouble. And I've taken three Disney vacations since February, so I've been on the websites and app a lot.

Well, the you're lucky. I've been 3 times in the past 15 months. I had problems each and every time. Two of those times were high crowds, one low crowds. And in its searching and trying to connect, it ate my phone battery. I use my phone as a camera. I quickly learned that I needed to ignore Disney's app. With FP+ that isn't a good choice. A choice, but a poor one.

At home. I couldn't even make 180+10 ADRs. System wouldn't let me. Had to call. That takes 20 extra minutes at minimum. Dang website freezes, crashes, requires me to sign in at very page (step)...

These are not unusual experiences. Very common. What is unusual is hearing how people don't have problems at all.

I don't know if MM+, specifically FP+ will be a disaster or great in the end. I'm watching it closely though. I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I'm not going to enjoy--too much work, difficulties, etc. You bet I'll quit going to Disney if it makes me and my family miserable. I'll wait until their growing pains are over or I know how to make it a good experience for me despite its issues. What is wrong with that? Why is that so offensive to some people? Disney isn't perfect. I've been going since 1976 almost every single year, some years multiple times. I've seen a lot of changes. Some good. Some not so good. I repeat, Disney isn't perfect. No company is. As long as I get something out of it that I perceive to be of value, they can have my money. Once I don't perceive it as a value, someone else will get those dollars.

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[Golf4283]

So if I make a thread about our great experience with fastpass+ will people start referencing that? Probably not. Naysayers will be naysayers and the positive people will be just that. Our experience was more than awesome and I personally can't wait until they get rid of the old system. No more standing like an idiot in front of a machine spitting out paper tickets.

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[RedHeadedFairy]

You realize it doesn't take a lot of effort to get more than 3 FPs a day - right? And right now - I KNOW that the rides I want will have availability the day I arrive.

With FP+ it is unlikely that we will be able to get coveted FPs the day of.

I see the potential for long wait lines...and as the mom of a small child who is very antsy...and a DH who is even worse in lines...I just don't see us continuing to vacation when there is that much stress to plan and long lines to wait in if I can't get the FP I want.

Exactly - we don't know how/if the regular FP system will remain in place, it's all guesswork or how FP+ will ultimately affect it (or not). Yes, for now we ARE opting out but I MAY NOT have that option (or it may not make sense to do so) in the future depending on how this all develops... none of us know anything for certain yet.

I could also see this restricting the return times for regular FP pullers - bumping you to later & later time frames depending on how many FP+ users took early slots & how many early park attendees grabbed up the remaining early FPs. Or those late to arrive in the parks (or hopping from another) may be shut out altogether? It could potentially make Rope Drop a necessary evil for those opting out, couldn't it? (not that we'd mind, I'm just considering the possibilities)

 

[UNCFanatik]

As an IT person who deals with wireless networks regularly (including some complicated ones), I have my doubts. I know how hard it is to get a wireless network working reliably on a smaller scale...what Disney is doing is unprecedented, really. Not just providing Wi-Fi, but expecting it to be utilized, by thousands.

Nothing in the AT&T announcement mentioned wi-fi, although often times the same repeaters can be used.

I work in IT as well and used to work for AT&T in IT so I know well about AT&T and believe me I have concerns as well but i am not ready to declare it a failure before it is all implemented and is in full use. And once in use, it doesnt mean it can not be upgraded and improved. It is not something that is static and can not be improved.

 

[WDSearcher]

If you are truly concerned it seems that a PM would do the trick in expressing your concerns.

OK ... um ... sorry?

I wasn't truly concerned as in "are you putting your job at risk". Just more of a "thinking out loud" thing. I really don't think it matters where I post, but I do apologize if I've broken protocol.

 

[doconeill]

I work in IT as well and used to work for AT&T in IT so I know well about AT&T and believe me I have concerns as well but i am not ready to declare it a failure before it is all implemented and is in full use. And once in use, it doesnt mean it can not be upgraded and improved. It is not something that is static and can not be improved.

I don't believe I said anything about it being static and not being improved. I don't know what they are doing to improve it, if they even are right now. I have my doubts that it will be improved in time.

 

[preemiemama]

I was there July 13-20 and had no trouble with in- room wifi but could not connect in the parks at all. I had to use my data package on my phone to use the app. I was not using FP+ so I was not changing anything- just checking wait times. These were mostly accurate, except when rides went down unexpectedly.

I am an AT&T user so I am hopeful that the new contract will be beneficial for our trip next year. That being said, or is not being a naysayer to express a valid concern- the wifi is spotty and something they need to address prior to full rollout.

 

[pigletto]

Well, the you're lucky. I've been 3 times in the past 15 months. I had problems each and every time. Two of those times were high crowds, one low crowds. And in its searching and trying to connect, it ate my phone battery. I use my phone as a camera. I quickly learned that I needed to ignore Disney's app. With FP+ that isn't a good choice. A choice, but a poor one.

At home. I couldn't even make 180+10 ADRs. System wouldn't let me. Had to call. That takes 20 extra minutes at minimum. Dang website freezes, crashes, requires me to sign in at very page (step)...

These are not unusual experiences. Very common. What is unusual is hearing how people don't have problems at all.

I don't know if MM+, specifically FP+ will be a disaster or great in the end. I'm watching it closely though. I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I'm not going to enjoy--too much work, difficulties, etc. You bet I'll quit going to Disney if it makes me and my family miserable. I'll wait until their growing pains are over or I know how to make it a good experience for me despite its issues. What is wrong with that? Why is that so offensive to some people? Disney isn't perfect. I've been going since 1976 almost every single year, some years multiple times. I've seen a lot of changes. Some good. Some not so good. I repeat, Disney isn't perfect. No company is. As long as I get something out of it that I perceive to be of value, they can have my money. Once I don't perceive it as a value, someone else will get those dollars.

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Thank you. My concern is based off of FACT. Not speculation. I am concerned with the FACTS castmembers are reporting. I am concerned with the FACTS regarding the planning issues I've already had. To write them all out would be ridiculous... but suffice to say Canadians haven't had a decent website in over a year and a half, I've had to call each and every step of the way to do the simplest things, and we still don't have MDE with no indication when it's coming. These are knowns.
And only a sample of the changes to come. It's concerning. I don't know anyone who would continue to throw money at that without being concerned.

 

[ArwenMarie]

For me, the great thing about FP+ is that I'll be able to get the ride schedule at day 60 and see how I like it.

If I don't like it, I will cancel before day 45.

 

[VMKYouAreMissed]

You DO realize who Cheshire is, right? She is not one who traditionally "whines". Have some respect for once. PLEASE?

Cheshire is a female? I thought Cheshire was a 70-year-old crotchety old man.

I do appreciate the information Cheshire posts, but when a person (anybody) comes on the Dis and goes through posts talking down to people about tickets, processes, etc, they lose respect from fellow posters. Being a CM doesn't mean that you are better than guests and as we all know, it sure in the hell doesn't mean you know more.

 

[VMKYouAreMissed]

If you are truly concerned it seems that a PM would do the trick in expressing your concerns.

Yep, the comments may be correct, but a PM would have been better.

 

[PrincessV]

I cannot disclose my true feelings here. If I did I would be using language which would get me thrown off DisBoards, and I don't want to have that happen.

I'd like to offer you a great, big And a sincere "thank you" for being honest about your feelings and experiences.

As a local and Floridian who spends a decent amount of time at WDW every year, I feel like I see the effects of changes in WDW systems pretty acutely. And I do not like what I've been seeing over the past year or so. It just seems, more and more, that neither guest nor CM experiences are high-ranking factors when the suits initiate changes. It's hard to pinpoint the many small ways this has come across, but I see it every trip. And, sadly, this whole MDE/FP+ boondoggle seems to have mucked things up the most.

I had an awful trip this June. Really, among the worst ever, if not THE worst. Out of 100s of trips in my lifetime. Every day, I made a supreme effort to not let other people bring me down, to not let changes in WDW systems frustrate me, to enjoy whatever came our way. I ditched plans, ADRs and time in the parks in search of peace and fun. Trust me - I made the effort. I've never had to put so much effort into a week at WDW. And by the last day, I just couldn't do it anymore. I'd had enough of unmanaged crowds, rude CMs, lines, spotty or nonexistent Wifi, inability to get the MDE app working at all, and paying more for less.

I found myself in a hotel gift shop, grabbing ice cream treats for my son and myself before we drove home, and when the cashier asked if I was having a nice stay, it came out before I could even think: "No. I'm really not. It's been awful. I live nearby and we come often for stress relief - and I'm leaving this time so stressed, I don't know if I ever want to come back!" I immediately apologized and explained that I was in no way ranting or complaining to her, especially as she'd been delightful, and she just gave my hand a little squeeze as she handed me my change. And said, "It's okay - we know. We're hearing it a lot. And we feel it, too. It's hard to find the Magic lately."

Y'know, that hit me hard. The poor CMs are overworked, underpaid, tasked with dealing with an increasingly frustrated public on the front lines - we're all in this together. But the suits are noticeably absent. I genuinely hope they are listening and considering guest and CM feedback. I genuinely hope this whole mess leads to vastly improved guest and CM experiences down the road. It's just getting hard to see that light for now.

One small complaint about the RFID turnstiles. Putting 1 in front of the other in groups of 4 really slows down the lines. People don't move around to the reader in front and there isn't enough space to move around them.

The new turnstiles are poorly designed.

I didn't see this problem initially, but as more and more guests are using the RFID access, I'm really starting to see how messy those entrances can be.

It's not just "the fear of the unknown" that bothers people. It's fear of the known! Wifi at Disney is awful.s

I chatted with a CM about Wifi recently - he acknowledged how bad it can be in certain places and that they know MDE/FP+ will greatly increase Wifi usage. He promised they're working on improvements. Here's hoping...

 

[mom2rtk]

So if I make a thread about our great experience with fastpass+ will people start referencing that? Probably not. Naysayers will be naysayers and the positive people will be just that. Our experience was more than awesome and I personally can't wait until they get rid of the old system. No more standing like an idiot in front of a machine spitting out paper tickets.

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And how is standing in front of a FP machine being like an idiot? I'm really lost on that one.

And I'd rather stand in kiosk lines "like an idiot" for 6 FPs over the course of the day than stand around "not looking like an idiot" getting my 3 FPs a day with my phone.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

The people who complain about having to plan rides 60 days out are the same people huddled over their computers at 12:00am at their 180+10 ADR day and pay for crowd calendars and touring plans. I call BS to their complaining. Frankly, if you're on the DIS and you're a regular contributor, you're most likely a planner.
Of course, being negative draws more attention and gets more responses.

I have never booked an ADR. I would never pay for a crowd calendar or touring plan. I glance at the free sites but rarely change plans because of them. I enjoy gathering information about different rides and what kinds of lines to expect, so I can do my best to avoid long lines and maximize our fun.

I am a planner but I do not plan my vacation days down to the minute because then I'm not on vacation, I'm executing a plan. Been there, done that, not doing it again.

I have an idea which park for which day, based on avoiding EMH and what works best for my family's schedule, but I have learned that flexibility is important. I have had sick kids on vacation, and I have been really sick on vacation. I've been at MK when it was forty degrees (crowds low -- but glad I could fastpass Splash another day!) and in every park in the pouring rain. I've arrived at DHS in the slow season to find it insanely overrun with giant tour groups and had to change plans on the fly to accommodate. I've had my thrill-loving child get freaked out by Space Mountain and refuse to enter another coaster all week.

Mostly, I think the biggest problem for me is that I have learned how to tackle Disney in a way that keeps everything fun, low stress, and flexible, and I don't know how this is going to change everything. Planners are also worriers. I plan so I don't have to worry. I don't want to be tied to my husband's smartphone. I don't trust any company's IT department to get everything right. Other people's experiences support my concerns about Disney's IT. I don't want to stress over what fastpasses I manage to get 60 days out and whether I made the right choices, and whether I have any hope of switching at the last minute if needed. I can't change my travel plans if I don't get what I want because I'm tied to when my family can vacation.

If Disney successfully promotes the FP+ process, there will either be limited availability ahead of time or very limited day-of availability. There is a limit to the number of fastpasses that can exist and still be fastpasses. If people use FP+ for rides that formerly did not require fastpasses, the standby lines will grow.

 

[doconeill]

Cheshire is a female? I thought Cheshire was a 70-year-old crotchety old man.

I do appreciate the information Cheshire posts, but when a person (anybody) comes on the Dis and goes through posts talking down to people about tickets, processes, etc, they lose respect from fellow posters. Being a CM doesn't mean that you are better than guests and as we all know, it sure in the hell doesn't mean you know more.

CF is indeed male...I wouldn't describe him as crotchety though.

I don't recall him ever "talking down" on anyone, ever.

And here, he is expressing his opinions, which he is allowed to do, much like anyone else is, within the rules of the DIS.

 

[WisconsinDad]

I'm glad all these people are souring on Disney, less crowds for me. I just got back from using the magic bands and fastpass+. The system was awesome and we would only plan the night before and make changes during the day depending on how kids were holding up. Also every castmember we met laughed and said they hadn't seen the bands yet. They were all excited to see us using them. Not sure where all this negative comes from considering not many people have even used the system yet. I say don't knock it till you try it.

I also don't get why people are getting mad at Disney for trying to innovate. Look at fastpasses. Disney started that program now lots of parks emulate it. I think someone there must at least know what they're doing. Have some faith people. Just because you can't take advantage and get 6 fastpasses in a day whats it matter? Lines are well controlled when we were there just in peak season. Longest line we waited in was like 40 minutes.

Also as far as people rushing the park to get in we asked a castmember at DHS about that and she said that people have tried to but no one has made it yet. They chase them down and have video surveillance to monitor them. It's a non-issue from my standpoint.

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I'm with you on this! We are headed to the World in a couple of weeks and we will be FP+ testers. My whole family is really looking foward to the new technology, especially my kids. We've enjoyed going into the system and tweaking our FP+ selections. We've even installed the app on their devices (smart phone for DS12 and iPod Touch for DD9) and they were able to navigate around it pretty effortlessly.

Sure, we may have rose colored glasses on but so what?! My kids are the type of that if they go into with a positive attitude (which we can obviously influence) they will have a positive experience. And WHEN things do go wrong (as I'm sure some things will) we'll just brush it off as no big deal.

 

[lugnut33]

Well, the you're lucky. I've been 3 times in the past 15 months. I had problems each and every time. Two of those times were high crowds, one low crowds. And in its searching and trying to connect, it ate my phone battery. I use my phone as a camera. I quickly learned that I needed to ignore Disney's app. With FP+ that isn't a good choice. A choice, but a poor one.

At home. I couldn't even make 180+10 ADRs. System wouldn't let me. Had to call. That takes 20 extra minutes at minimum. Dang website freezes, crashes, requires me to sign in at very page (step)...

These are not unusual experiences. Very common. What is unusual is hearing how people don't have problems at all.

I don't know if MM+, specifically FP+ will be a disaster or great in the end. I'm watching it closely though. I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I'm not going to enjoy--too much work, difficulties, etc. You bet I'll quit going to Disney if it makes me and my family miserable. I'll wait until their growing pains are over or I know how to make it a good experience for me despite its issues. What is wrong with that? Why is that so offensive to some people? Disney isn't perfect. I've been going since 1976 almost every single year, some years multiple times. I've seen a lot of changes. Some good. Some not so good. I repeat, Disney isn't perfect. No company is. As long as I get something out of it that I perceive to be of value, they can have my money. Once I don't perceive it as a value, someone else will get those dollars.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

If your battery runs out all you need to do is go plug it in near the bathrooms and wait an hour or two while it charges.