Another view on FP+

[2Tiggies]

it takes somewhere between 17 and 24 minutes to get through. Not insane. But not what we were used to.

I used to opt out of entering a queue that had a posted SB wait time of more than 20 minutes, save for a few rare exceptions. Now it looks like FP+ gives you a moderate standby wait time and SB ..... well we won't even go there

 

[Ismo]

I'm thinking that maybe they are waiting to make any adjustments until after the Spring Break park attendance numbers lower a bit.

One wrong letter or symbol in a code or algorithm could potentially bring the whole system down.

So maybe they are waiting until it's not a peak period before they introduce any changes to the system.

We went last March (23rd-30th) during spring break/Easter season and we were still 100% in legacy FP mode. I believe a couple weeks before we went they were giving small groups MBs to test. But when we went I didn't see any. I think they suspended a lot of testing/changes during the peak period.

I can completely appreciate people going to WDW now how frustrating it must be. I know for sure if I were there now I would be just as annoyed. You pay a lot of money to go to WDW and to not have a good experience doesn't really seem acceptable.

That being said, I think Disney has made a lot of progress over the past year. And I can only hope that in 1-3 years time FP+ system will be working seamlessly.

I think any change to a park that has been around 40+ years is always going to cause controversy. Some will love it some will hate it.

I truly love WDW and all things Disney, so I know I will be going again and again in the future. I just will have to adjust my previous "strategy". In a way, I'm looking forward to not be able to ride attraction after attraction. It will force me to spend more time taking in all of the sights and little "pluses" that the WDW parks have.

Good luck to everyone though as you try to figure out this new system during your upcoming trips.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I used to opt out of entering a queue that had a posted SB wait time of more than 20 minutes, save for a few rare exceptions. Now it looks like FP+ gives you a moderate standby wait time and SB ..... well we won't even go there

I'm thinking you might be right. =( So I need a strategy of how to keep kids entertained in lines. I can wait...not a problem b/c there is a candy crush addict right here, but not so sure how to keep my niece and nephews entertained. They have never been to the world so don't know the glorious experience that was FP- and riding rides numerous times in a row so I don't have to worry about meeting set expectations. When I was telling them about our potential upcoming trip, I asked "would you be OK waiting in line for a bit so we can do something fun"? My 6 year old nephew's response was "but Annie, kids aren't good at being patient". I really want to be able to ride more than 3 rides with minimal wait and just not sure that's gonna happen.

 

[JimmyV]

Anyone wanna start a pool on what HOUR the Mine Coaster will run out?

9:30AM, oh wait that was with FP-

You know....we can all joke and insert ROTFL Smilies. But when you read this thread you really do have to ask yourself if things are getting better. Every one of the people in this thread who is not getting a FP would have been able to get one with FP-. They just would have had to get to the park at RD to do so. Now, they are getting on their computers at midnight, and many are still failing. Before: RD=100% success. Now: Computer in advance = < 100% chance of success.

 

[Liljo22]

Before anyone gets crazy about how advance booking for offsite guests will affect availability, let it play out. Remember, not all off site guests will be making bookings. Many are same day ticket purchasers or are buying from third party venders that may not explain FP+ and MDE to them.

You also have the ones that will still not understand what FP+ is and will just ignore it all together until they get to the park and see it first hand.

Also, Disney is the only theme park that I have been to that does not charge for a front of the line pass. Universal, Six Flags, and Cedar Fair Parks all charge for their service so some of the people that visit those parks are conditioned to believe they will have to pay for Disney's. We heard that on here all the time when people would post that they heard other guests say they would not pay for it. I am sure there are going to be guests that still believe that and will ignore FP+ all together.

 

[mcd2745]

You know....we can all joke and insert ROTFL Smilies. But when you read this thread you really do have to ask yourself if things are getting better. Every one of the people in this thread who is not getting a FP would have been able to get one with FP-. They just would have had to get to the park at RD to do so. Now, they are getting on their computers at midnight, and many are still failing. Before: RD=100% success. Now: Computer in advance = < 100% chance of success.

Am I missing something? Are guests no longer allowed to get to the park at RD and head strraight to an attraction without having a FP?

At present, I'm a supporter of FP+. Will that change in a month after getting a first-hand experience with it? Maybe, maybe not...especially since the current system I will be experiencing will likely not be the system in place whenever my next trip ends up being.

However, even though I'm generally a commando at heart who tries to make RD every morning (not always successfully I admit), I don't necessarily agree with the common "early bird should get the worm" opinion that we see a lot here. If you paid double what everyone else paid to enter the park, then perhaps you should be entitled to more, but not for simply just arriving early. It's already undeniable that you will be able to do more as a result of making RD, completely irregardless of FP (+ or - )...but for some reason, that's not good enough for too many. They expect Disney to reward them further - and at the expense of other guests, no less.

 

[jade1]

Every one of the people in this thread who is not getting a FP would have been able to get one with FP-. They just would have had to get to the park at RD to do so. Now, they are getting on their computers at midnight, and many are still failing. Before: RD=100% success. Now: Computer in advance = < 100% chance of success.

But why "pretend" something that cannot happen. This goes back to your teleportation theory. 38,000 people cannot enter that park simulataneously.

If you think the say 1,000 guest at A&E should all wait 3 hours, and I say the 1,000 guests should all wait 10 minutes-then we can agree to disagree.

 

[OtherScott]

Tho the rides at the MK are quite varied, people's preferences for those rides and ages of kids they're travelling with are also quite varied. Thus you have a bunch of different rides at the MK -- all desirable for different reasons and to different demographics -- and a bunch of different preferences leading to all the rides getting chosen, and none being preferred in disproportionate numbers like at EC/HS.

I wouldn't call it proportionate, but your point is a good one, and one that is often overlooked. I look at the demographic diversity just in my own family structure over the years.

 

[jade1]

I wouldn't call it proportionate, but your point is a good one, and one that is often overlooked. I look at the demographic diversity just in my own family structure over the years.

Agreed. I don't think it's compare SM to Tea cups or BTMRR to Stitch, its more SM/SpM/BTMRR to ETWB/PP/BOG/A&E/LM etc.

 

[JimmyV]

Am I missing something? Are guests no longer allowed to get to the park at RD and head strraight to an attraction without having a FP?

Yes and no. Before, FP return times did not commence until around 10:00. So people who arrived at RD had a full hour to ride SB before the first FP returnees entered the line. With FP+, times are available to be booked the second the park opens. So with a really popular attraction like Elsa and Anna, those times will be booked solid. Given the fact that many people on that thread are not getting any times whatsoever, it is fair to assume that the times when the park first opens are fully booked. When the FP times are fully booked, there really isn't any room left for SB people to filter in. Even if there is, it will be dribs and drabs. I would imagine that anyone who gets in the SB line for E&A 15 minutes after the park opens will be looking at a 2 hour wait. So yes, some RD people will be able to rush to the attraction. But only the very, very first people have any hope of beating a 2 hour line.

 

[OtherScott]

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the guy who's too lazy to make rope drop to pull an FP for Toy Story (or stand-by) will suddenly pre-book an FP for 9:00 am - then show up to use it.

Won't the same schmoe see the early morning time slot and pass?

 

[jade1]

Yes and no. Before, FP return times did not commence until around 10:00. So people who arrived at RD had a full hour to ride SB before the first FP returnees entered the line. With FP+, times are available to be booked the second the park opens. So with a really popular attraction like Elsa and Anna, those times will be booked solid. Given the fact that many people on that thread are not getting any times whatsoever, it is fair to assume that the times when the park first opens are fully booked. When the FP times are fully booked, there really isn't any room left for SB people to filter in. Even if there is, it will be dribs and drabs. I would imagine that anyone who gets in the SB line for E&A 15 minutes after the park opens will be looking at a 2 hour wait. So yes, some RD people will be able to rush to the attraction. But only the very, very first people have any hope of beating a 2 hour line.

True, but didn't A&E start at 10AM not park opening?

The first in line RD "runners" still had a 3 hour wait, partly the late attraction start, and partly the Norway dining-which actually also had a 3 hour wait in disguise.

You can be sure many RD guests got to A&E and just laughed and kept walking.

 

[MermaidMommy]

True, but didn't A&E start at 10AM not park opening? The first in line RD "runners" still had a 3 hour wait, partly the late attraction start, and partly the Norway dining-which actually also had a 3 hour wait in disguise. You can be sure many RD guests got to A&E and just laughed and kept walking.

No, they start meeting at 9:00.

 

[OtherScott]

True, but didn't A&E start at 10AM not park opening?

The first in line RD "runners" still had a 3 hour wait, partly the late attraction start, and partly the Norway dining-which actually also had a 3 hour wait in disguise.

You can be sure many RD guests got to A&E and just laughed and kept walking.

What's A&E and why is it 3 hours?

 

[JimmyV]

If you think the say 1,000 guest at A&E should all wait 3 hours, and I say the 1,000 guests should all wait 10 minutes-then we can agree to disagree.

No. I am not saying that. I think that 1,000 people all waiting 10 minutes would be great. It's all a matter of how those 1,000 people get allocated their passes. Under FP-, the 1,000 people who get to see Elsa and Anna with a 10 minute wait on 5/29 are all people who arrived at the park that day to see them. Granted, to get the coveted FPs, they would have to get there at RD. But now, the 1,000 people who get to see Elsa and Anna with a 10 minute wait on 5/29 are a random smattering of people whose windows oepned before others, who found out about FP+ before others, and who logged on to the computer at midnight before others. If you think that this form of distribution is more fair than allocating the 10 minute waits to people who actually show up at the park that day, then, yes, we do disagree. But under no circumstance would I be advocating for a system that has 1,000 people all wait 3 hours. I just find it odd that we now have a system whereby people whose vactaions begin on 5/27 can use up all the FPs for 5/29 before people whose vacation begins on 5/29 can get them for that day. Sure, the person whose vacation begins on 5/29 gets a jump on 6/1 over people who arrive on 6/1, but maybe the MK doesn't fit into their plans for that day. I just have a hard time thinking that any of this makes more sense than: "show up at the park....get your FP".

 

[jade1]

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the guy who's too lazy to make rope drop to pull an FP for Toy Story (or stand-by) will suddenly pre-book an FP for 9:00 am - then show up to use it.

Won't the same schmoe see the early morning time slot and pass?

What makes you think the guy will?

 

[PlutoMars]

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the guy who's too lazy to make rope drop to pull an FP for Toy Story (or stand-by) will suddenly pre-book an FP for 9:00 am - then show up to use it.

Won't the same schmoe see the early morning time slot and pass?

Just so we are all clear. Not making RD = Lazy. Good to know.

Has to be the only, logical reason why people choose not to make RD.

Thanks!

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the guy who's too lazy to make rope drop to pull an FP for Toy Story (or stand-by) will suddenly pre-book an FP for 9:00 am - then show up to use it.

Won't the same schmoe see the early morning time slot and pass?

My thinking is that the same guy is more likely to book that FP because when he tries to get one for 11.30, there is nothing left and he has a choice of park closing or 9 am. OR he gets the one he wants and someone else who would have been there at RD in the past has no choice so they take what is left. At some point all the sensible times are going to be gone and only early morning will be left. If it's all they can get, they will take it.

I am so thankful that we don't care about TSM and DD isn't interested in meeting Anna and Elsa. Those two things alone make our life a whole lot easier.

 

[OtherScott]

Just so we are all clear. Not making RD = Lazy. Good to know.

Has to be the only, logical reason why people choose not to make RD.

Thanks!

I'm being ironic.

 

[OtherScott]

My thinking is that the same guy is more likely to book that FP because when he tries to get one for 11.30, there is nothing left and he has a choice of park closing or 9 am. OR he gets the one he wants and someone else who would have been there at RD in the past has no choice so they take what is left. At some point all the sensible times are going to be gone and only early morning will be left. If it's all they can get, they will take it.

I am so thankful that we don't care about TSM and DD isn't interested in meeting Anna and Elsa. Those two things alone make our life a whole lot easier.

Yesteryear's argument was, "Fine, if he wants to get the FP he can show up early."

I just wanted to point out, "He's here."