All The New Developments

[larryz]

Can we just ignore each other so this thread doesn't get closed down? I'm sure the others would appreciate it.

Hear, hear!

 

[larryz]

Please posters, how a person chooses to refer to themself is really of no consequence to the topic at hand. If a person doesn't want to plan ride times in advance, they don't want to! Whether a "planner", "researcher", "non-planner", "relaxation fan" or "commando" their opinion is their valid opinion.

We don't need labels or "calling one-another out" on perceived inconsistencies according to what may be a different definition to detract from the intention of the thread.

This is too close to personal attacks.

Don't take this the wrong way, but when I read your screen name, I suddenly crave tequila.

That was NOT a personal attack...just an observation.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

If you do please let me join. My company has caused us tons of extra work because of their new ideas that don't work.

DW is military.

'Nuff said.

 

[Squidgyness]

Well, I've posted and posted concerns, thinking scenarios through, but I finally came to the realisation today that, you know what, I'm sick of worrying. I'm sick of panicking. I'm sick of worrying about panicking. So, I decided to be a little more positive. Given that i cannot really take advantage of the prebooking aspect due to other circumstances, I took into consideration the following points.

1) my family doesn't do many of the younger oriented and thus more popular rides any more like Peter Pan, nor do we do TSMM. Nor would we ever use a Fastpass for a parade or show. Some mitigation there.

2) last time we went in 09 we waited 1hour 15mins standby for test track, and about the same for soarin. We survived. Even though I was overweight and cranky with a bad ankle, we survived. Even more so, we enjoyed ourselves!

3) It is my fervent hope that should we enter the park at around 9am we should still be able to get some decent same day fastpasses. If not, I can take my ipad with me and book a few days in advance to try and get some.

4) my family doesn't do sit down meals, saving us some time already. If we have to wait in line for half an hour to an hour more a day, well that's just time we'd have been waiting for food. This is a personal opinion and rationalisation.

5) over the next year or two they will hopefully get around to fixing any problems that do occur... At least the big ones.

6) we actually got the key rides done last time by 5pm most days. We left early sometimes to get back to the pool, and my mother wishes we'd have seen some fireworks. I guess this might make us stay longer and see the fireworks for a change.

But finally after some self argument, I simply came to the realisation that...

7) I still really, really, REALLY want to go back and see all the new stuff at the parks no matter how long the line, or how delayed the entrance. More to the point, there is nowhere I would rather go on vacation next.

Am I still worried? Of course., but you know what, I realised I dreaded not going back more than waiting in a standby queue for an eticket ride. I thought of the worst case scenario, no same day fastpasses and a longer standby line, but I realised that I still wanted to go, I still felt that quiver of excitement.

Being an optimist feels weird and new to me. But every time I consider going back to Orlando, I get a shiver of excitement along with the old nagging worries now. I'm keeping a weather eye on the horizon still, but this time I'm looking for rays of sun as well as rain clouds.

Of course I realise this approach doesn't work for everyone, but I'm going to try my hardest to stay on this course.

 

[Mad Hattered]

If you do please let me join. My company has caused us tons of extra work because of their new ideas that don't work.

The Corporation I work for has 72,000 employees. Needless to say, they are extremely top heavy yet extremely light up top. I will gladly join the group!

 

[snykymom]

I don't know if I'm a planner or not. I have 2 ADRs - BOG & V&A. The others that I like I can usually get on the fly. (Not on the DP - too much work for me to keep track of credits. I'd rather just pay for what I want when I want it, etc.)

I don't even plan which park on which day. Even with the BOG reservation, we may show up just for it. Last time we were there, we just got on the first bus that came. Once we get to a park, yes, I know what I want to do, and maybe the best way to do it, but we wing a lot of it.

Yes, I am concerned that I won't be able to do that any more. But I'm even more concerned that even with planning, glitches will be a problem.

For the past 10 years, I've not only made my reservations, ADRs, etc. on-line and gotten confirmations, I've printed out every one of them. Why? Because quite a few have gotten lost and I need to have proof. I've had to prove an ADR once, and was glad I had the paper backup.

But what happens if an FP+ gets lost? There's no paper backup. And no matter how good a system a company has, with the amount of data, something's going to get lost or corrupted. Then, even with all the careful planning in the world, you're lost without the proverbial paddle.

 

[Mitch_in_GA]

...As for FP+....I know I am part of a test. I know they are doing just that, "testing" the product. However, I should be able to call and find out what I am getting into, right? What are the rules? What are my options? I am getting different answers every day. That is not good service. Me having to find out my options on a discussion board is not good service.

The problem is not is FP+ good or not good and it is not am I a super planner or not. The problem is Disney is not in control of the information. They should know at the very least how this testing is going to be run. Right?

So true...and I can take it a step further -- I arrive at POP on 8/17 (less than 17 days); a few weeks ago in MDE I was invited to customize MBs and obtain FP+ for each day of our stay. With some ambivalence I assumed that we'd be testing this functionality. However, as I write this I've yet to receive any formal correspondence that confirms our participation. It's one thing to know you're testing and to then receive conflicting information; it's not much better to be uncertain as to whether you're even testing. It truly makes our planning / research a little more difficult.

 

[ArwenMarie]

So true...and I can take it a step further -- I arrive at POP on 8/17 (less than 17 days); a few weeks ago in MDE I was invited to customize MBs and obtain FP+ for each day of our stay. With some ambivalence I assumed that we'd be testing this functionality. However, as I write this I've yet to receive any formal correspondence that confirms our participation. It's one thing to know you're testing and to then receive conflicting information; it's not much better to be uncertain as to whether you're even testing. It truly makes our planning / research a little more difficult.

Wow, that is odd. Did you even get an email confirming your MB order, anything like that?

 

[tessa67]

There is a strong correlation between satisfied guests and revenue. There is just a strong correlation between revenue and profits.

I don't see how Disney flips guests from satisfied to unsatisfied and makes more money. I do think upper management understands that (to the contrary of some who say upper management is not listening)

Perhaps the new Disney system is a way to customize the Disney experience. Just bought a plush Pooh doll..... sheezam... get sent FP tickets to go on the Pooh ride.

Your a loyal, high paying, customer at Disney and missed your FP window by a few minutes the auto turnstile will still allow your FP. If you come infrequently to the park, maybe you don't get the grace period.

CM's treat everybody the same as they don't know who they are denying entrants to rides, but the Disney system does. So that "intelligence" is brought forward to key places at the park.

When you go into a park right now you interact with Disney, but Disney doesn't interact with you. They would like to change that.

Disney has been treating people fairly for almost 60 years. When you get on line for a ride you don't know if the person behind you is an AP or someone who has come for the one and only Disney experience. IMHO, Disney would like to get out of the "fairness" business and distribute the magic more by who brings in the most money. That is what the casinos do, the airlines do and Universal does.

The question is can they do it in such a way that would not alienate a significant share of their population who might get just a bit less magic.

Time will tell if this strategy works, but past experience will tell you it will.

Or Disney decides to sprinkle magic on those who are not addicted. Pixie dust for a first time visitor might bring them back. If you are there on your 20th trip they already got you.

 

[agavegirl1]

Don't take this the wrong way, but when I read your screen name, I suddenly crave tequila.

That was NOT a personal attack...just an observation.

Thank You! Love that you get the reference! Looking forward to a Jalapeno Margarita.

Anyway, took a break to go out for dinner.

 

[Mitch_in_GA]

Wow, that is odd. Did you even get an email confirming your MB order, anything like that?

We actually received our customized MBs just over two weeks ago. So, I gotta believe we're testing. We're happy to be going, and will make it work either way, but it would be nice to know. Thankfully, I expect that by Saturday we'll hear from some others in my situation (received MBs and booked FP+ attractions but no email or UPS letter) by way of the disboards.

 

[juliebug1997]

Off topic....

To the Support Group,
To add salt to the wound: DH's boss approved our vacation. When we would have had two days left. Ugh.

 

[lugnut33]

Don't know about anybody else, but when a CM with the knowledge that Cheshire has says something about the new system I'm going to listen.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Don't know about anybody else, but when a CM with the knowledge that Cheshire has says something about the new system I'm going to listen.

Exactly! (regardless of their gender)

 

[MichiganDVC]

Don't know about anybody else, but when a CM with the knowledge that Cheshire has says something about the new system I'm going to listen.

Exactly! (regardless of their gender)

If it fits your preconceived notion of how NextGen is rolling out

 

[knewton64]

-
wanna learn more about this. this seems interesting as I plan on returning to wdw next yr.







T.T.F.N.

 

[Mad Hattered]

If it fits your preconceived notion of how NextGen is rolling out

I tend to side on what the person who actually works there says. Cheshire posted using their factual knowledge of the situation first hand. Please direct your angst at him if you have an issue with the information he has provided.

 

[MichiganDVC]

I tend to side on what the person who actually works there says. Cheshire posted using their factual knowledge of the situation first hand. Please direct your angst at him if you have an issue with the information he has provided.

Just sayin, based on your history of vocal skepticism toward anything NextGen, I doubt you'd be heaping praise on CF if he had nothing but good things to say.

I have no problem with his opinion. I still think everything will work out fine in the end.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Just sayin, based on your history of vocal skepticism toward anything NextGen, I doubt you'd be heaping praise on CF if he had nothing but good things to say.

I have no problem with his opinion. I still think everything will work out fine in the end.

The biggest thing I got out of this thread today is that Cheshire is a guy.

Edit: and the fact that you can't use RFID tickets at Disneyland. That is a huge no go in my book. Why would I sign up for that and limit myself to only visiting Florida?

 

[WDSearcher]

Don't know about anybody else, but when a CM with the knowledge that Cheshire has says something about the new system I'm going to listen.

Where IS Cheshire, by the way? It's like he started this thread and then disappeared. Or did I miss a post somewhere? I've been trying to keep up, but all the FP+ threads are running together ...