Am I wrong to wait? DVC AP for Christmas?

[wrighter]

We will be purchasing APs of some kind before our Christmas trip this year. Normally I would purchase them in advance - for no particular reason - just to have them. However, with all of the hullaballoo surrounding FP+, I'm thinking I might just wait until we're on site to get them. By then I'll know exactly what I'm up against, right?

My biggest concern is that we do not want to use FP+. At all. I know eventually we may not have a choice, but I'm going to hold out as long as possible. There are just so many unanswered questions at the moment.

The only thing that might sway me to purchase in advance is if they offer the great PAP deal that they did last year. But I would still be worried that doing so would lock me into something we don't want.

What do you think, DISers? Am I wrong to wait?

 

[lugnut33]

My understanding is unless you are renewing it will not matter if you purchase ahead of time or not. People who buy a DVC AP and get exchange certificates are not eligible for FP+ until their passes are issued at the park. That's when you could link your tickets to MDE and get FP+, which by then will probably yield you fastpasses to the Mad Tea Party and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. You know the uber-planners will be on the site picking their 3 or 4 fastpasses right at the 60+10 day mark, especially for the Christmas season.

 

[wrighter]

Ugh. The way I see it it's a lose-lose situation for us all the way around. My only hope is that FP- is still in effect then. Grrrrrrrrr.

 

[Carole]

"People who buy a DVC AP and get exchange certificates are not eligible for FP+ until their passes are issued at the park." I was looking for answers about APs and FP+. I hope they make changes if this is the policy. Sure does stink!!

 

[jerseyduke]

With the new, amazing Fast Pass+, I can get my fast passes 60 days out.

In order to do this, I have to get my DVC Annual Pass and have it activated at the park.

Do I then get in my Delorean and fire up the flux capacitor to go get my fast passes? Or do the DVC rooms have a 'hot tub time machine'?

Do I have this correct? If I will be buying my first AP this year for my December trip, i CANNOT use FP+? (unless I go down to florida, for the sole reason of buying APs at the park in advance?)

 

[mom of princessx2]

I have heard that others are hooking their AP/PAP conf # to MDE and are able to use FP+. I am hoping that our DVC reservation number doesn't hook us up for FP+ eligibilty because I don't want FP+. Once you are FP+ eligible you can not use the regular FP system. Though I am curious about FP+, I am not sure it will work for the way we vacation.

 

[Minniesgal]

The inability to do FR+ from a voucher is the situation at the moment but as far as I understand it is not a policy decision but a limit of the system that they are working to sort out before role out.

 

[hjgaus]

We have our DVC Premium AP vouchers (bought last possible moment) already to go but cannot activate til Dec. 25th this year and will NOT NEED them again until Dec. 2014. If or when the bands come into play for everyone THIS YEAR, can we use fast pass + for next year? Sorry if this sounds confusing but would LOVE to have it ALL on the bands THIS or NEXT year if possible. Confused???

 

[Sammie]

My educated guess is Fastpass+ will be rolled out heavily in the next month, I think by early September it is going to be at most all locations.

If you don't want to use Fastpass+ you don't have to. You just won't have access to Fastpass any longer once the current system is phased out.

Using it or not using it, is up to you, not based on what tickets you buy. Now your tickets will be on a Magic Band or RFID card, that you will not have a choice.

But Fastpass+ is an optional program.

As to the discounted PAP again, I think there is a good chance for that.

 

[Starr W.]

My educated guess is Fastpass+ will be rolled out heavily in the next month, I think by early September it is going to be at most all locations.

If you don't want to use Fastpass+ you don't have to. You just won't have access to Fastpass any longer once the current system is phased out.

Using it or not using it, is up to you, not based on what tickets you buy. Now your tickets will be on a Magic Band or RFID card, that you will not have a choice.

But Fastpass+ is an optional program.

As to the discounted PAP again, I think there is a good chance for that.

Interesting observation about the discounted PAP. I have my ideas about why they offered it last year.

I have a solo trip in October would really like to "test" the FP + system without the guys.

 

[wrighter]

It's interesting to note that some of us here DO want to link our APs/PAPs to FP+ and others DO NOT. I certainly hope we will all be provided the option.

 

[dismedvc]

It's interesting to note that some of us here DO want to link our APs/PAPs to FP+ and others DO NOT. I certainly hope we will all be provided the option.

Once FP+ goes live, if you do not link your park admission ticket(s) on MDE you will still be able to use the "old" FP system inside the parks for as long as they run both systems, so you will effectively have the option you want by just not linking your PAP.

However, as I posted in another thread, I do not think the "old" FP system will continue to operate the way it has in the past. Just MHO

Several posters have indicated that they do not plan on linking their admission tickets to their upcoming reservations so they can continue to use the old fastpass system if the fastpass+ system is rolled out for all guests prior to their next visit.

However, my thoughts are once fastpass+ is rolled out, there will be changes to the old fastpass system, so that the old system will not allow you to get more/better fastpasses than are available under fastpass+

For example, if fastpass+ only allows you to get 3 fastpasses per day, all at the same park, not get more than one fastpass per day for any particular attraction, and not get fastpasses for more than one of the "premier" atractions on the same day, those same restrictions will be put in place for guests who do not link their tickets, but use the old fastpass machines inside the park on the day of their visit.
Except those guest using the old system on the day of their visit may find most of the fastpasses are gone even earlier in the day, having been taken by guests using fastpass+

 

[Whilykit]

This is what I have been silently freaking out about! I've called twice like an idiot and of course no CM has any information to give me since FP+ isnt live yet... We are going @ christmas and my family has the vouchers and my parents have MYW tix that are already linked in their MDE... It seems I can't do anything until I get DOWN THERE at xmas on Dec 20th... but my parents and sister will be able to book FP+ at 60 days out. I'm trying to have faith that this isn't the case - that we wouldn't get screwed by this glitch or 'limit' if you will of the new system.. thoughts????

 

[Debby7]

Same issue. My 4 adult kids will have 4 day passes that I can link to MDE for fastpass+, but husband and I will be getting DVC AP vouchers. The kids get to reserve fastpass+ but not us? I would hope there is a solution for this before our 60 days out(from 12/14) How would we get to do any of the popular rides together? This is so messed up !