An 8 year old's view of FP+ in its current state

[MrInfinity]

Couple things though. According to the survey, if available, you could use a figment FP at opening and book a Test Track FP even if you already have a Soarin' one booked for later. Also, (the survey was a bit vague on this) it sounds as if you could use a useless tier 2 FP+ at opening, and then book a desirable FP in a different park.

Definitely an improvement over the current situation. Not meaningless at all.

Think about the availability there and if you think that is realistic. You now have had to spend your morning Rope-Drop time consuming your Figment FastPass, to what -- get a TT FP for later? Even tho it's 4 Fast Passes, you are no better off than instead, using your Rope Drop time on TT and not having to book it for later.

Plus you now have ppl clamoring to use their FP for 9am to get first dibbs on the "next" FPs available. So now Rope-Drop is gone as it's all FastPass as now Disney has created an artificial urgency to spend them sooner. I don't see an angle in that survey that actually gets ppl in general on more Tier-1's.

 

[mom2rtk]

Are they still doing the "bonus" FP+ at MK? That would help a little.

No, they haven't done that in some time.

And I agree that the loss of those disconnected FPs in the MK on top of the limit of 3 made for a huge loss.

 

[morethananyonex]

Think about the availability there and if you think that is realistic. You now have had to spend your morning Rope-Drop time consuming your Figment FastPass, to what -- get a TT FP for later? Even tho it's 4 Fast Passes, you are no better off than instead, using your Rope Drop time on TT and not having to book it for later. Plus you now have ppl clamoring to use their FP for 9am to get first dibbs on the "next" FPs available. So now Rope-Drop is gone as it's all FastPass as now Disney has created an artificial urgency to spend them sooner. I don't see an angle in that survey that actually gets ppl in general on more Tier-1's.

During slow times it could work nicely. I don't see why it wouldn't. If there are any headliners available for same day bookings you should be able to grab those as your extra FP. Doing TT at rope drop isn't exactly speedy these days, with a slow line to begin with and FP cutting in right at 9. You could then go ride either TT or Soarin' after your "throwaway ride" giving you multiple rides on one of them.

Works even better for booking a FP at another park, by using up your useless one you can then replace it with something useful that you couldn't ride at RD from another park.

 

[over50visits]

I Double Dog Dare you to take your kids to Universal and stay onsite.

You mean stay in a luxury hotel at about half the price of Disney, walk (if I want) to the theme parks, ride generally more exciting rides and have unlimited front of line with no scheduling necessary, meet employees who are getting a reputation for being more friendly then Disney CMs, smaller crowds, and Harry Potter Land?

I'll take that dare!

 

[MrInfinity]

During slow times it could work nicely. I don't see why it wouldn't. If there are any headliners available for same day bookings you should be able to grab those as your extra FP. Doing TT at rope drop isn't exactly speedy these days, with a slow line to begin with and FP cutting in right at 9. You could then go ride either TT or Soarin' after your "throwaway ride" giving you multiple rides on one of them.

Works even better for booking a FP at another park, by using up your useless one you can then replace it with something useful that you couldn't ride at RD from another park.

This logic doesn't quite make sense.

Current status: 17,000 Soarin FP and 13,000 TT FP to go to 40,000 guests. Clearly insufficient supply.

Guest: Can I just have 2 FP to Soarin and/or TT? I'll be happy then.

Answer: No. There is not enough to give 2 to each guest. Do the math. There is not enough to give even one to each guest.

Survey: Ok, but what if I go on Figment first. Then can I have a second FP to TT or Soarin?

Well obviously the capacity has not changed at all. This makes absolutely no sense that Disney is going to say "Okay folks, as long as you use a throwaway fastpass first, we'll give you a 2nd.

You might as well say "As long as you run 2 laps around the park first" or "As long as you'll do some other random task first".

None of this changes the capacity of Soarin and TT. Thus none of this changes whether you can truly give each guest 2 FPs to these rides. THey may make some sort of incentive to burn your FPs sooner to get a bit of whatever is left over, but given the capacity numbers, by the time this comes to be, anything you might want will not be available. Because we fall right back to, 40,000 guests already queued up nearly all of the 13,000 TT slots from home, months ago.

Maybe you'd luck into one by spending your first half hour riding Figment, but you could also just use your first half hour riding TT and not bother w the gamble.

Unless you change the supply of TT and Soarin, you cannot give each guest 2. The numbers aren't there. I'm all for TT being doubled in capacity or having a 3rd thrill ride at Epcot... but that is the ONLY solution that will lead to increasing the capacity of the two desirable rides there. The problem at Epcot is not the FP+. It is the lack of capacity on its desirable rides.

 

[morethananyonex]

This logic doesn't quite make sense. Current status: 17,000 Soarin FP and 13,000 TT FP to go to 40,000 guests. Clearly insufficient supply. Guest: Can I just have 2 FP to Soarin and/or TT? I'll be happy then. Answer: No. There is not enough to give 2 to each guest. Do the math. There is not enough to give even one to each guest. Survey: Ok, but what if I go on Figment first. Then can I have a second FP to TT or Soarin? Well obviously the capacity has not changed at all. This makes absolutely no sense that Disney is going to say "Okay folks, as long as you use a throwaway fastpass first, we'll give you a 2nd. You might as well say "As long as you run 2 laps around the park first" or "As long as you'll do some other random task first". None of this changes the capacity of Soarin and TT. Thus none of this changes whether you can truly give each guest 2 FPs to these rides. THey may make some sort of incentive to burn your FPs sooner to get a bit of whatever is left over, but given the capacity numbers, by the time this comes to be, anything you might want will not be available. Because we fall right back to, 40,000 guests already queued up nearly all of the 13,000 TT slots from home, months ago. Maybe you'd luck into one by spending your first half hour riding Figment, but you could also just use your first half hour riding TT and not bother w the gamble. Unless you change the supply of TT and Soarin, you cannot give each guest 2. The numbers aren't there. I'm all for TT being doubled in capacity or having a 3rd thrill ride at Epcot... but that is the ONLY solution that will lead to increasing the capacity of the two desirable rides there. The problem at Epcot is not the FP+. It is the lack of capacity on its desirable rides.

I'm not arguing the numbers, I'm well aware every guest can't get both. What I do know is on the survey Disney was very clear, one of the options was use one and get a 4th, not subject to tiers.

If they do go through with that option, it's possible for some guests to get a 2nd tier 1 at certain times of year. If I am able to beat late bookers and grab a 2nd tier 1, the capacity numbers arguing against everybody getting them don't impact me. I don't care if everyone can get 2, I care if I can. I would make an (educated) gamble in order to get 2 rides on TT or Soarin. If it turns out there are slots available to book right at 9 when I scan my band, why wouldn't I?

 

[mlaping]

I am curious if the rate of people not redeeming the FP have gone up with the new system; since they are easier to get do they not have the same value to the person. If this is true maybe they are only giving out as many based on the old rate.

I don't like you can only get a FP for one park; would be great to get three in each of the parks and park hop.

 

[*disgal*]

No question. When you analyze that survey, it is clear that all the choices revolved around "if you will use one -- or all three -- of your current fast passes sooner to get a 4th one -- would you?" Obviously this would create the impetus to use your first one in the 9am slot instead of hoarding it till 1pm 2pm 3pm like everyone is. Thus, Disney gets to claim they gave you a 4th FP, but really, they made you use one when you didn't need one, so it's not actually giving you a real benefit.

Thus that survey was actually quite meaningless... All Disney is trying to do is figure out how to get ppl to take their FPs in the 9am and 10am slots, cuz they have 2 hours worth of FPs here that are not being heavily taken right now.

Rope Drop is still a "benefit" we can enjoy if we choose to. Disney is seeking out ways to manage that benefit that right now we enjoy, and turn it into yet more "benefit" to everyone. If you didn't like FP- going to FP+, that survey should scare you because it means Disney is now eyeing your RD time.

I am totally going to use RD as a strategy. I do wish that disney would change the fp+ as far as the starting time goes. Even half an hour after park opening would help you not wait as long in a sb line.

Fortunately, while we are there, MK is opening at 8am, EMH is 7am. My understanding is that at 8am people can schedule a FP? If that's true, I don't think a ton of people will be doing it. And a lot of people already have their FPs scheduled when the park opened at 9am (i think the hours just changed this week, maybe last?)

And the park is open till 1am. THis is all going to help us out. I'm sure glad we're not going at a time when the parks close at 9pm. yikes!

 

[mom2rtk]

I am curious if the rate of people not redeeming the FP have gone up with the new system; since they are easier to get do they not have the same value to the person. If this is true maybe they are only giving out as many based on the old rate.

I don't like you can only get a FP for one park; would be great to get three in each of the parks and park hop.

I could actually see people using more of what they have now, since it's a limited commodity.

 

[squirrel4569]

I could actually see people using more of what they have now, since it's a limited commodity.

I think people would also use them more because they are more aware of them. I'm sure that many of us have been walking through the FP- line and have people in SB ask you "how did you get into that line?" Many people weren't aware of how the FP system worked before. One reason why I think they may be limiting them, aside from it being a "test", is that FP utilization has actually gone UP rather than down. Also, going with the data that Josh provided on wait times we know that FP usage actually increases the time spent in SB. Then factor in attractions that have FP that didn't before and you increase the SB times for those rides too. Also, the technology is cool, but it does have some limits. Before, I could FP a ride and walk up to the CM with my four FP tickets fanned out and they would do a quick glance at the time and wave us through. Now all four of us have to stop and scan twice, at about 3-5 seconds each? That time will creep up (as we've seen with the long FP+ lines) and slows down the overall system. A faster reader/backend authentication system could improve the time, but I'm not sure by how much.

I like MM+ and being able to pay and get into the park & room with the band instead of the KTTW cards, but it's looking like the FP+ system is falling flat. Still have my fingers crossed that improvements will be made during the year.

 

[sethschroeder]

To what others have said in the past. The normal FP- users had 3 FP in a day. If you got 10 that means 2+ other people got 0 FP, in the end are they going to look to keep you happy or 2 people happy?

Well possibly you if they knew you stayed onsite and had all Disney ADR but I wonder how they could tell the difference? Does anyone know? *hint* ends with +

 

[Oomiak]

Both probably 5 or 6. I don't go at times of the year where it's worse than that.

So you have absolutely no experience with a crowd level 9-10 under FP+ and chose to make statements about my personal experience with it. You cannot compare your 5-6 crowd level trips to what is happening here right now, which was my original statement. Don't use the ole acting as if I am misspeaking when you haven't experienced it. I've done 5-6's under FP- and this is NOTHING like that and I'm pretty sure it's nothing like it under FP+ at 5-6.

 

[sethschroeder]

So you have absolutely no experience with a crowd level 9-10 under FP+ and chose to make statements about my personal experience with it. You cannot compare your 5-6 crowd level trips to what is happening here right now, which was my original statement. Don't use the ole acting as if I am misspeaking when you haven't experienced it. I've done 5-6's under FP- and this is NOTHING like that and I'm pretty sure it's nothing like it under FP+ at 5-6.

Sucks to have to go when crowd levels are 8-9-10. Personally I looked for the lowest crowds of the year for our next trip. I think it's partly why I am excited for FP+ when others are upset or shaking with fear about what lines look like.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Just explain to her that before, a few people used to take all the fast passes and most guests didn't get any at all. There are enough rides in a day for each guest to get 3, and now that we have new technology, that's what Disney does. It all comes down to how you spin it.

You can explain that there are not enough rides in a day for each guest to get more than 3. I'm sure she'd embrace the concept of everybody sharing.

How is it "not going to work long term". There are 60,000 visitors to the MK in a day. There are approx. 200,000 possible fast passes to be taken. You show me how guests can get 4 or more. It's just not realistic.

huh?
What are you trying to prove?

Why can't there be more?

Eventually- one purpose of the new FP system is to get ALL guests using a bigger % of FP than before.

Simply put, it is incorrect to say all rides in all four parks are operating at capacity all day long.

Simply put, they are far from doing that. NO rides operate at full capacity on ANY day.

Your thinking is also very flawed if you think ride capacity is a fixed number that can not be changed. That doesn't remotely hold up with reality. Disney can tweek the ride capacity of ANY ride by adjusting the ride speed just a hair. Many rides can be adjusted by adding a few boats/trains, double loading/single loading (think about how PotC is loaded during peak times - from both sides- vs. from only one side at slower times). Staffing fluctuates considerably over the course of any given day.

Even e-rides like TT don't run at full capacity. Far from it. They don't even operate at full capacity on Easter week. Early in the morning and late at night there are empty seats, every single day.

If you have not seen those empty seats, then I think perhaps you have not visited WDW nearly so much as I.

If WDW can get direct guests to fill those empty seats, then everyone waits less.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

This logic doesn't quite make sense.

Current status: 17,000 Soarin FP and 13,000 TT FP to go to 40,000 guests. Clearly insufficient supply.

Guest: Can I just have 2 FP to Soarin and/or TT? I'll be happy then.

Answer: No. There is not enough to give 2 to each guest. Do the math. There is not enough to give even one to each guest.

Survey: Ok, but what if I go on Figment first. Then can I have a second FP to TT
Unless you change the supply of TT and Soarin, you cannot give each guest 2. The numbers aren't there. I'm all for TT being doubled in capacity or having a 3rd thrill ride at Epcot... but that is the ONLY solution that will lead to increasing the capacity of the two desirable rides there. The problem at Epcot is not the FP+. It is the lack of capacity on its desirable rides.

I think your premise is flawed.


FP+ is very much STILL in rollout phase. NoBoDy has seen it fully rolled out. Sorry, but WDW just STARTED letting offsite guests and AP holder book FP+.

(I've been to WDW MANY times, sometimes slow, sometimes busy. I have been in every month of the year except June, and have been going to WDW far LONGER than 99.9% of the DIS posters (I was there in Feb of 1972!))

NOBDY has sen the system full implemented

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm not sure why anyone would tell their children about FP+. Like, the child doesn't have input on where the family goes on vacation. They don't choose the rules of Walt Disney World.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'm not sure why anyone would tell their children about FP+. Like, the child doesn't have input on where the family goes on vacation. They don't choose the rules of Walt Disney World.

What...?

You clearly have no grasp on how much some children actually like to be involved in vacation planning. Especially those children who are very familiar with WDW. You think WDW obsession appears out of nowhere? For many it starts as a child, and that includes knowing how to tour parks.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

What...?

You clearly have no grasp on how much some children actually like to be involved in vacation planning. Especially those children who are very familiar with WDW. You think WDW obsession appears out of nowhere? For many it starts as a child, and that includes knowing how to tour parks.

But there's no reason for it. Your child is a member of the family, but they don't get vacation planning input. That's absurd, IMHO, just another symptom of the things we see with entitlement these days.

 

[morethananyonex]

But there's no reason for it. Your child is a member of the family, but they don't get vacation planning input. That's absurd, IMHO, just another symptom of the things we see with entitlement these days.

You run your family how you see fit, others run theirs how they see fit. What's absurd is taking your view and applying it to all families. It's not absurd at all to think some families actually enjoy planning the vacation together.

Hell, even Disney's own ads show a family choosing FP+ selections together. Surely a child familiar with FP- will at some point figure out the difference. It's not that shocking.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

You run your family how you see fit, others run theirs how they see fit. What's absurd is taking your view and applying it to all families. It's not absurd at all to think some families actually enjoy planning the vacation together.

Hell, even Disney's own ads show a family choosing FP+ selections together. Surely a child familiar with FP- will at some point figure out the difference. It's not that shocking.

I"m not saying don't plan together. I'm saying I don't think that any other family planning a vacation should take the opinion of a child as any sort of reason to go or not to go to Walt Disney World, as presented in this thread. There was a thread some months back where a family decided they weren't going to Disney because their child thought that FP+ sounded like he wouldn't like it. I just think it's appalling that you would give any child that kind of power.