Any Reformed FP- Uber Users Who Have Embraced FP+ ?

[Laketravis]

It seems pretty apparent that your family has progressed to the point that Universal represents a better experience and value than Disney.

I suppose when you come from a defensive POV everything seems like an attack.

Because you see, here's the deal - I never said that. You did.

I simply said that I saw a way to make FP better. You took it from there.

 

[Laketravis]

No, this person does not agree. I would be furious if FP lines took 10-15 minutes. On my last trip I only had 3 total ride waits (over the course of a week) that were 10-15 minutes long. Are you suggesting that at a minimum I would have had 10-15 minute waits at 18 attractions?!

Did you only do three attractions per day and used FP for those? How could you be there for a week and only have to wait in three lines the whole time? And then only for 10-15 minutes? Let me know when you went because that's when I want to go!

I'm sure it's not for everyone. I'm basing a good portion of my suggestion on some interesting observations. One of which was how many of the people at USF were wearing Magic Bands. I was really surprised by that, and the brunt of them were in the EP queue with us so I would ask them about it. All of them actually paid for EP for that day. They weren't slamming it, they saw value in it, and yet they were critical about the three free FP's at WDW.

It didn't occur to me until later that most of the MB's were gray in color. I don't know if that is significant or not and I didn't think to ask why at the time.

 

[estherhead]

No, I'm saying the typical stay at USF is 2 days. This is evidenced by the fact that they will often give out a 3rd day free.

It's not 33% off. If it was a flat 33% off, people would still stay 2 days but take 33% off that. They don't do this cuz that's what ppl would do. Instead they give the 3rd day free to try to get guests to stay the extra day for the incremental incidental spending.

Companies give out "free" stuff at the point where guests would not otherwise pay for it. At WDW, they have no reason to give a 3rd night free, because people typically go for more than that paying. Instead, Disney offers "free" dining as the promo to get people to spend incrementally more on dining. Uni is still back at trying to get guests to stay a 3rd day, while WDW has guests booking 5-10 day stays a year in advance. They are trying to get the next incremental amount of cash out of them, which is the dining deal, which costs you a hotel discount of course -- it's not free so Disney is trying to give away some cheap food to get people to give up their cash savings on the rooms.

This is exactly what companies do. But there isn't really a reason to do free dining comparison with Uni's 3rd park day as you can compare just tickets. Disney often runs the 5th day free. Which means people are buying 4 days at WDW and 2 days at Universal for a typical 1 week Orlando vacation. Both WDW and Universal want that 7th "travel" day to be on their property. They are competing for that day.

 

[Shaden]

It is only ironic if you misquote it and reword it to be ironic! Notice I did not say FP+ works great because we rope drop. You added the because. What I said was by using RD and FP, we get pretty close to our ideal vacation! By using all the options, one of which was RD, one of which was FP. There was no because. Now with FP-, yes, you only got the benefit if you got there early. FP- wasn't as good because you had to rope drop to get the benefit from it. The later you got there, the less benefit you got. With FP+ you get the same benefit no matter when you get there.

We always got the benefit of FP-, whether we went to RD or not.

What you said was that by combining FP+ and RD it gives you nearly your ideal vacation, meaning, only IF you use them both in combination. But that FP- was only good if you used RD. But by your logic, FP+ doesn't give you near the ideal vacation alone (therefore it must not be that "good") since you have to use it in combination with RD.

 

[wisblue]

I suppose when you come from a defensive POV everything seems like an attack.

Because you see, here's the deal - I never said that. You did.

I simply said that I saw a way to make FP better. You took it from there.

Still evading the question about what I said before that you instantly and flippantly labeled as "wrong".

Despite your protests, all of your comments about what Universal does better and how you are regretting getting annual passes at Disney speak pretty clearly for themselves.

 

[MrInfinity]

What you said was that by combining FP+ and RD it gives you nearly your ideal vacation, meaning, only IF you use them both in combination. But that FP- was only good if you used RD. But by your logic, FP+ doesn't give you near the ideal vacation alone (therefore it must not be that "good") since you have to use it in combination with RD.

Why do you add words to peoples quotes, then say they are wrong in what they've said? I did not say they are only functional in combination. I did not say "by combining them" at all! I said "by using RD and FP+....."

Both FP+ and RD contribute to my vacation. They do not only do so in combination. If I did not use RD at all, FP+ would still contribute, and if I did not use FP+ at all, RD would still contribute. When using both, (as well as many other things - EMH, Rider Switch, staying on rainy days, going on rides during parades, etc) they both help to make my vacations very close to an ideal vacation in that I can get on everything I want in a reasonable time period by using the tools and options that are available.

 

[DisneyFive]

Not embracing FP+, but instead, managing it and making it work for us the best we can.

Our best FP years were those when FP- was around without the enforcement of the return window, 2010, 2011. I loved being able to use them anytime that day after the window opened up. Gone are the days where riding headliners multiple times in one day was easy without long standby lines.

I love being able to prebook FP+'s for our arrival day though, and the greater comfort of scheduling a FP+ for later morning or afternoon and sleeping in if needed.

Dan

 

[Laketravis]

Still evading the question about what I said before that you instantly and flippantly labeled as "wrong".

Despite your protests, all of your comments about what Universal does better and how you are regretting getting annual passes at Disney speak pretty clearly for themselves.

Good grief.

I suggested a way to make FP better, and you launched your hair-trigger All Things Disney cannons at me.

If you think it is all perfect the way it is, fine. Good for you. I'm glad you're happy with it.

But I'm not and would like to see certain elements improved. I think I should be able to point that out and be able to discuss it with others without being attacked for it.

 

[ldymcbth]

Not embracing FP+, but instead, managing it and making it work for us the best we can.

Our best FP years were those when FP- was around without the enforcement of the return window, 2010, 2011. I loved being able to use them anytime that day after the window opened up. Gone are the days where riding headliners multiple times in one day was easy without long standby lines.

I love being able to prebook FP+'s for our arrival day though, and the greater comfort of scheduling a FP+ for later morning or afternoon and sleeping in if needed.

Dan

I agree with this. And it's a comfort to know that on day X, we absolutely will get to see Anna/Elsa, ride the Mine Train, etc, because we have FP+. I'm disappointed in how the SB line waits for old familiars (PoTC, etc) have increased, but there is an upside to the FP+, too. In a perfect world, if we could schedule 6 FP+ a day, that would be my perfect scenario.

 

[wisblue]

Good grief.

I suggested a way to make FP better, and you launched your hair-trigger All Things Disney cannons at me.

If you think it is all perfect the way it is, fine. Good for you. I'm glad you're happy with it.

But I'm not and would like to see certain elements improved. I think I should be able to point that out and be able to discuss it with others without being attacked for it.

Wrong.

You have done a lot more than suggest a way to make FP+ better, both in this thread and in others.

I have never said everything is perfect, you said that.

And, I don't see how pointing out the context in which your observations have been made constitutes an "attack".

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I don't like to plan for months. I don't like to spend hours searching for overlapping fp times. I don't like to rope drop; I'm on vacation. That's also why I don't like being tied to a schedule. I like down time; spending time at the pool and the resort I paid so much for. I guess I'm one of the lazy ones.

 

[Suvadoo]

I don't like to plan for months. I don't like to spend hours searching for overlapping fp times. I don't like to rope drop; I'm on vacation. That's also why I don't like being tied to a schedule. I like down time; spending time at the pool and the resort I paid so much for. I guess I'm one of the lazy ones.

Please tell me you don't pee in the pool!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Please tell me you don't pee in the pool!

I don't have time!

 

[Suvadoo]

I don't have time!

��

I'm so sorry, I was refering to a Laketravis post that I thought was part of this thread, but it's a different one! OOPS!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3365937&page=4

 

[Laketravis]

You have done a lot more than suggest a way to make FP+ better, both in this thread and in others.

I discuss a lot of things in other threads. Annual Passes, dining plan, Sunglass Hut, 7DMT, resorts, peeing in the pool at all-inclusive caribbean resorts, even some appropriate posts in the (gasp!) Uni threads about people cutting in line and construction at a resort.

This particular thread is about whether or not one has embraced FP+

Let's stick to the topic, shall we?

I see small benefits for a small number of guests, and reduced benefits for a larger number of guests. I don't think it has the potential to be embraced by all without some changes.

This debate has been going on for over three years now, and both sides are still as passionate about their position as they were on day one. And as solid as those positions are, WDW has been even more stoic. The three components that are the cause of discontent for many have not changed:

1. Tiering
2. Three
3. Single park

Add to that the negative effect FP+ has had on Standby times as well as the closing of many attractions without the addition of more and I think these discussions will continue for the foreseeable future.

Unless sleeping late while still being able to walk onto three things when you get to a park is all that matters to you, embracing FP+ is hard.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm so sorry, I was refering to a Laketravis post that I thought was part of this thread, but it's a different one! OOPS!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3365937&page=4

LOL! I'll never tell.......

 

[Love Tink]

They are trying to get the next incremental amount of cash out of them, which is the dining deal, which costs you a hotel discount of course -- it's not free so Disney is trying to give away some cheap food to get people to give up their cash savings on the rooms.

Of course it is free. People who say "it isn't free" don't seem to understand how discounts work. The fact that I forego another discount doesn't nullify my first discount.

If I go into the grocery store and I have two coupons for an item - a 25% off coupon and a 50% off coupon - and I can't use both coupons, I use the 50% one. Then I am happy that I got 50% off, I don't complain that I got something off but it wasn't really 50% because I wasn't able to get 75%.

Or, to put it another way, if Disney offers my family of five $40 per night off my room or $250 per night in free food, I'm going to take the second offer and not say, "Well, but it I'm losing another, lesser discount, so it doesn't really count."

And we've pretty much hit the point where we don't go to WDW unless we have free dining. They have to offer it to get us to come.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Unless sleeping late while still being able to walk onto three things when you get to a park is all that matters to you, embracing FP+ is hard.

Wrong

 

[Hokie2000]

The irony here is pretty awesome. FP+ works great because we rope drop. FP- wasn't as good because you had to rope drop.

"Because we..." is a lot different than "you had to."

It's all about options. You can saunter into the park whenever you want with three FPs in hand. But if your plan is to ride as much as possible, RD is still a good strategy. Usually options are a good thing.

 

[SmithSmith]

Did you only do three attractions per day and used FP for those? How could you be there for a week and only have to wait in three lines the whole time? And then only for 10-15 minutes? Let me know when you went because that's when I want to go!

I'm sure it's not for everyone. I'm basing a good portion of my suggestion on some interesting observations. One of which was how many of the people at USF were wearing Magic Bands. I was really surprised by that, and the brunt of them were in the EP queue with us so I would ask them about it. All of them actually paid for EP for that day. They weren't slamming it, they saw value in it, and yet they were critical about the three free FP's at WDW.

It didn't occur to me until later that most of the MB's were gray in color. I don't know if that is significant or not and I didn't think to ask why at the time.

I said I had 3 total ride waits that were 10-15 minutes long. I do not know how you think that means I only waited in 3 lines my whole trip or just rode 3 attractions per day.

Either way, I reviewed my notes and I misremembered, I had FIVE 10-15 minute waits. I forgot about ETWB because we were having such a fantastic time in line with other resort guests that I never remember it as a waiting in a queue, as much as hanging out with some really cool people. The second one I forgot was TSMM, the posted wait was 20 so I went in expecting a long wait and was pleasantly surprised to find a relatively short one. So I never remember that one as a wait either. The other 3 attractions with a 10-15 minute wait were BTMR, Living with the Land, and Jungle Cruise. I did not use FP+ for any of the above attractions. This experience with FP+ took place at the end of Sept and beginning of Oct. I have a full list of all rides we visited, the date & time of day we visited, and the wait time experienced if you'd like to see it.

So everyone you talked to bought EP's over New Years week, so that means for a basic EP they were paying an extra $120 per day for it... and yet they were complaining about Disney's FREE FP+?!