Amazed at Misinformation!

[famy27]

I get what you're saying, it's just to be expected for every destination and subject out there. There are experts for all sorts of different things who probably get a good laugh at what people are positive they know for a fact.

Getting misinformation from an unofficial source online should be expected from time to time. I feel worse for people who get incorrect information from Disney themselves, either on the phone, their website, or from CMs in person, and plan around that. That's an ongoing issue that should not be happening. Does the moms panel still exist? They were notorious for giving out bad information and it's taken as fact because it comes from Disney (even though I believe they had a disclaimer).

From the Moms' Panel. Two separate entries a few days apart.

"I have heard mention of being able to select additional FP+ after the initial 3 are used. Is this in place yet? Traveling with 2&4 yr old in 4 weeks. Afternoon FP is not convenient for napping deciding between morning & evening FP. Thank you very m
- Asked by Becky from Kentucky on 4/18/2014
Hello Becky! Thanks for asking your question here on the Disney Parks Moms Panel. I was recently at Walt Disney World using the new FastPass+ system and I am really impressed.

After you have used your 3 scheduled FastPass+ reservation times, you can then schedule another FastPass+ reservation using the nearest kiosk. After you have used that pass, you can then book another FastPass+ reservation. Please keep in mind that the FastPass+ system is still currently in the testing phase and changes could come at any time. It sounds like you will want to book morning FastPass+ time slots, head back to the resort for nap time and then select another FastPass+ when you get back to the park in the evening.

I hope you have a magical vacation. If I can help you with any other questions you may have before you leave, please let me know!"


Then, on the 21st:

"This is our third time to Disney in 3 yrs. We looked at Fast Pass + and it does not provide a lot of times that are during the morning can we FP at the park like before? Will we be resticted tp 3 even if we do it at kiosks.
- Asked by Terri from Maryland on 4/21/2014
Hi Terri -

The FastPass+ system is currently in test mode - so things are subject to change. The old FastPass kiosks that were in the park last year are no longer available. But, while you can currently get only three FastPass+ reservations per day, that number is expected to grow in the coming months. Depending on when you trip is, you may be able to get more.

Keep an eye on the Disney Parks blog for updates on the system.

I hope that helps! Have a great vacation!"

Well, that clears it right up!

 

[famy27]

For entertainment, I e-mailed WDW to ask about the inconsistency on the Moms' Panel. I may be able to get six different answers from five people. Maybe seven answers.

 

[Kristina4109]

I once read a reply from one of the Moms saying that if you want to go to the Magic Kingdom, return to your resort for a nap, and then return to the Magic Kingdom later the same day, you need a Park Hopper Pass. I pretty much stopped reading the Panel after that.

 

[famy27]

I once read a reply from one of the Moms saying that if you want to go to the Magic Kingdom, return to your resort for a nap, and then return to the Magic Kingdom later the same day, you need a Park Hopper Pass. I pretty much stopped reading the Panel after that.

Last week, I saw this gem on the Moms' Panel:

Hello Panel! I understand that on-site guests may make FP+ reservations 60 days in advance, but can you schedule your whole trip on that day like you can with dining? Also, what time of day can you start reserving? Thanks so much!
- Asked by Alyssa from Ohio on 4/8/2014
Hi there, Alyssa!

Thanks so much for stopping by the Moms Panel with this great question!

With all of the recent changes and updates on FastPass+ reservations, I called and spoke with a Cast Member to find out the exact details.

I'm so excited to tell you that as a Guest of one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels, you are able to make FastPass+ reservations not only 60 days in advance, but you can also schedule them up to 10 days into your vacation! Once you've connected your Resort reservation within your My Disney Experience account, the system will recognize you as an on-site Guest and will allow you to book those easily! If you are wanting to reserve FastPass+ for extremely popular experiences like the Meet and Greet with Anna and Elsa from Disney's Frozen, I suggest making those reservations toward the end of your trip for a better chance at getting a good time!

As for the time of day, you are able to start reserving FastPass+ at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

I sure hope this helps, Alyssa! Wishing you the best of luck on getting exactly what you're hoping for!

Have a Pixie Dusted vacation!
_________________________________

What's six hours between friends? There's no reason to be "exact" or "technical" when it comes to a question about what time something occurs.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

None of the Value Resorts have refrigerators in them.
There are buses that run from DTD to each of the parks.
An FP guarantees you'll never wait more than 15 minutes.

This all used to be true.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

This all used to be true.

Yep, and Mr. Toad used to have a ride. And the dining plan used to include appetizer and tip. And there used to be these FP machines right at the parks where you pulled a paper ticket and you didn't have to book ahead of time!

But none of that does any good for anyone planning a trip today! It's when people state these things as absolute truth--after all they were just there a week ago and that was the case--and people rely on the information they read that it becomes a problem.

 

[ciera321]

On a Disney bus someone was telling their family that they would be taking the monorail to DHS the next morning. When one of her kids tried to correct her, she said that she had done extensive research and knew exactly what she was talking about. My husband was elbowing me, wanting to make sure I was hearing this conversation. I am always amazed at what you'll hear on a Disney bus.....

 

[cleophus12]

The funniest thing I ever heard on a Disney bus (or maybe it was the saddest thing) was leaving the Dolphin one day. When you come out of that road, the Tower of Terror is right in front of you, and a lady was telling her family, "There's the castle!" How could anyone whether they've done any research or not, think that ToT is "the" castle? I feared for that family's good time. If they thought that was the castle, would they ever make it to the MK?

 

[JillyBean1899]

Part of the problem with misinformation stems from employee's fear of looking like they don't know what they're talking about. They work there, so guests think they must be an expert on everything in the parks/resorts. So many of them are afraid to say "I don't know" that they just make something up. I'd much rather hear someone say "I haven't had that question before, would you mind if I ask my supervisor?" and wait a few minutes to get the right info than be told something wrong.

I'm more inclined to believe someone at the parks that wears their own clothes (as opposed to a park-provided uniform) because they are typically supervisors or above, and have access to more information than the front line employees. Having worked in theme parks and in customer service positions, I know how some front line employees act, they want hard questions to go away, so they tell the customer what they think they want to hear so they'll get off their phone/chat and be happy so they get a good review on the survey.

Think about how many times in life elsewhere that people spread wrong information, rather than admitting they were wrong or they didn't know. Now imagine how much more often that would happen if their jobs depended on customers' perception of how well they do their jobs.

 

[ktlm]

Sometimes I get so mad that I just ride the Skyway and Mr. Toad, over and over, at MK.

Uh, bad information....Mr Toad is closed for rerfurb for a few years, and you can only ride Skyway if you're staying at a deluxe resort and show your room key. .

Oh....Skyway---that's another water ride, right???

True. But I was talking to a friend (whose brother used to date a girl whose cousin is a Cast Member or VP at WDW... I forget which), who said that they are keeping it hush hush, but if you go to the Town Hall and complain about Mr. Toad, they will take you to the secret entrance of 20,000 Leagues instead! She said it was great! When I told her I didn't notice the ride last time I was there, she explained that's because it's UNDER THE SEA, so you can't see it unless you know where the secret entrance is... can't wait till our next trip. Between this and the Skyway, it should be a blast!

 

[PoohsFan1]

Um, that does not make it true either, sorry. I recall only one poster making the claim this was live, and that was from a third-party. Until I see multiple first-hand reports this is the case, I'm keeping it firmly in the "not yet" category.

It's nice that you have put faith in that CM's statement, but I've been around long enough to realize that a single CM's word is not something I completely trust. In my experience, we would have seen a number of actual accounts backing this up these last ten days or so since the CM mentioned this to you. I have not seen that.

I agree, once I see that people are saying that they have physically done this, or have read the official statement, I am still going to believe that it is not quite live yet. However, we leave one month from tomorrow and I am crossing my fingers that it will go live before we get there, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[ucfknight]

The other misconceptions I see kind of come from the above. People who mix up the EP system and the FP system. I don't know how many times I've heard that Universal has free FP like Disney or that you can buy FP from Disney or that both offer FOL passes. There are so many incorrect rumors out there.

Just before our last trip, one of my friends was complaining she didn't want to buy the EP because she always just uses the free FP. I was like well if you want to go to Disney have at it, but the rest of us on this trip are going to Universal where there is no FP. She just couldn't grasp that Universal didn't have FP like Disney does. She just kept swearing that she had used it at Universal in the past.

She might have gotten free Express Pass at Universal... depending on when she went. About a decade ago Universal used to have a free Universal Express system. It was much more advanced than the legacy Disney FP system. Universal had touchscreen kiosks where you scanned your park ticket and could then pick from a couple of different attractions in the land you were in. You would then get to pick from a couple of different return times for the attraction you selected. It was pretty slick.

 

[nighttowll]

She might have gotten free Express Pass at Universal... depending on when she went. About a decade ago Universal used to have a free Universal Express system. It was much more advanced than the legacy Disney FP system. Universal had touchscreen kiosks where you scanned your park ticket and could then pick from a couple of different attractions in the land you were in. You would then get to pick from a couple of different return times for the attraction you selected. It was pretty slick.

Maybe that's what she did. I know she hadn't been in like 10-15 years.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Those two are known FP+ malcontents. Burn Them!!!!!

I too have disagreed with at least one of those posters on several important issues.

One issue where I've disagreed is walking distances.

We are fast walkers, and I have timed a good number of walks for my own benefit; also how long it took us to get from place to place via boat or bus.

Simply put, it often takes longer to get from point A to point B at WDW than most people like to estimate. (and to complete other transactions)

I sometimes wonder if they discounting time because they are on vacation, or if they are wildly cutting -like the difference between walking all the way to a lobby vs. the edge of the hotel's parking lot.

 

[ciera321]

The funniest thing I ever heard on a Disney bus (or maybe it was the saddest thing) was leaving the Dolphin one day. When you come out of that road, the Tower of Terror is right in front of you, and a lady was telling her family, "There's the castle!" How could anyone whether they've done any research or not, think that ToT is "the" castle? I feared for that family's good time. If they thought that was the castle, would they ever make it to the MK?

I have no words for that one........

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think that as other posters have said, WDW policies change over time.

It is also true that WDW policies are inconsistent property wide, even from CM to CM within the same establishment.

Many less well known policies change.

I've seen with my own eyes wildly different policies from place to place within the same trip, or from CM to CM in the same location. One CM says they can't do X, the next says no problem.

Like, maybe two years ago we had trouble with our room charges not working. I tried multiple times to get it fixed. Finally a manager had the authority to override the system, and fix the problem. The other CM's (including one other manager) either did not know how to override the system, did not have the authority, or just didn't think of what he tried.


So posters post about what they personally experienced. For them, it WAS true. For another guest their - very different - experience is also true.

It's also interesting when someone on the DIS posts about a guest that irritated them. We all bring our personal experience to the table- like stroller etiquette, scooter etiquette, child conduct, pathway etiquette, weather extremes.

 

[rdearth]

Am I the only one that likes that most people who go to Disney World are misinformed or don't even bother to inform themselves before going?

I enjoy taking advantage of "secret" opportunities.

 

[Bullseye]

Uh, bad information....Mr Toad is closed for rerfurb for a few years, and you can only ride Skyway if you're staying at a deluxe resort and show your room key.

I remember riding the Skyway through Space Mountain a few years ago when it was under refurb. As you passed through SM, all the lights were on inside and despite the construction walls, you could see the tracks.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I remember riding the Skyway through Space Mountain a few years ago when it was under refurb. As you passed through SM, all the lights were on inside and despite the construction walls, you could see the tracks.

What you are describing is actually the People Mover (Tomorrowland Transit Authority, or TTA) and it still goes through Space Mountain along with other Tomorrowland attractions. The Skyway went to and from Fantasyland and Tomorrowland in buckets, . That was my favorite ride that no longer exists, along with Mr. Toad's Wild Ride .

 

[Mitzicat]

Resort guests can use any of the pools.

I saw this one on Facebook and questioned the author. It was in a thread about folks staying at a deluxe resort wanted upgraded/special transportation to and from the parks. There was a suggestion of stretch hum-vees!

I jumped in and questioned the pool comment and the individual corrected the post - stated it was a typo.

But it is sad hearing all the misinformation. And when you try to help and people don't want to listen I just end up shaking my head. I once got into an argument with someone over Spaceship Earth. They stated that the ride does not go up inside the "ball" they only make you think that. Thanks to the DIS I was able to find blueprints and old construction photos to prove him wrong. The look on his face was priceless!