Anyone else miss the challenge of the old fast passes?

[mickeyluv'r]

Oh, another FP debate thread.
Here's a thing we saw with the new system on our most recent visit. Our plan was to do non-WDW the first half of the day, then head to MK in the evening. I booked three FP+: PP@7pm, 7D@8pm, and SMtn@9:30pm. It was a fairly busy weekend.
Our plans changed. Under old FP, it would have been no matter. Under new FP, none of our options were great.

We opted to go most of the day without access to FP, but it really limited our options. Some HS options: 2hrs@ RNRC, 70min@ Star Tours, 70@Animation class (no FP avail even if we had swapped) We did GMR and Muppets. TSM wait was silly. (best FP options were GMR, Muppets, Amer Idol.)

Call me crazy, but I don't think it was big win for us or Disney. We left, where normally we would have stayed.

Call me crazy, look back through my years of posting, and many times I posted that WDW WAS better than US. For us, the tide has changed. US system is just much more relaxing. Disney opted for a convoluted system.

I also wonder...having been to both in the past year, if HP didn't ultimately help WDW. HP appeared to be wildly popular with travelers from HPotter's home country. I imagine a good number also visited the mouse. A new attraction in either is a draw for both, due to their proximity.

 

[Laketravis]

Also when I witnessed what people were doing when they were testing the new system with the plastic cards in 2013.... that was infuriating. I would be waiting on the fast pass line with my one fast pass for TS with my family and all these people around me talking about the multiple scores they had throughout the day. Seeing them do a complete turn around after exiting the ride and right track into fast pass line to ride again while people on standby 80 minute lines..

That would rub me the wrong way as well, but you have to separate abuse as being characteristic of the system itself, which it is not because people do the very same thing today with multiple sets of Magic Bands and I don't agree with that either.


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[mom2rtk]

Still doesn't...and 6 are still attainable

Except that FP used to only be on headliners. Can you get 6 headliners now?

 

[Laketravis]

Still doesn't...and 6 are still attainable

I didn't infer that it did or wasn't - so what's your point? The system that didn't require running and that you could get 6 FP's with (and often for multiple headliners) was replaced with a system that doesn't require running and you (might) get 6 FP's with, but probably not for multiple headliners???


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[BugsDaddy]

It seems strange that the only thing FP and overall Disney detractors love more than complaining is booking more Disney trips.

 

[Luckybee]

This is a very good point. I think there are a portion of people who dislike the new FP program because they had the old one figured out and were "gaming" the system. Not all, but some. That being said, Disney allowed them to work the system to their advantage for a very long time. Those newbies to Disney or people that just never took the time to learn how to work the system were usually the ones with the longer wait times for rides.

If you thought this was a problem with fp- you may wish to look at the posts involving multiple bands under fp+

Honestly I don't think it matters what Disney puts in place. Savvy people are always going to find work arounds !

 

[g8torphan]

I didn't infer that it did or wasn't - so what's your point? The system that didn't require running and that you could get 6 FP's with (and often for multiple headliners) was replaced with a system that doesn't require running and you (might) get 6 FP's with, but probably not for multiple headliners???
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You would imply; I would infer

And you probably didnt get 6 headliners before.
And as a company, it makes more sense for more unique riders, rather than a smaller group of re-riders
And, I've never seen a trip report where someone had a bad vacation because they didnt ride "X" 5,6,7 times

The system is better for the majority, and more importantly the company

 

[Laketravis]

It seems strange that the only thing FP and overall Disney detractors love more than complaining is booking more Disney trips.

You think it's strange that someone is willing to lay down several thousand dollars for a trip to WDW and openly discuss an aspect of that trip that they aren't comfortable with or think could be improved?

How so?


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[Laketravis]

You would imply; I would infer...

Infer (verb): to hint; imply; suggest.

And you probably didnt get 6 headliners before.

Ah, but I did. Many times. And always for headliners.


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[BugsDaddy]

Except that FP used to only be on headliners. Can you get 6 headliners now?

I guess that would depend on your definition of a "headliner". Fastpasses were available for a lot more rides in the old system than what would be considerd a "headliner" to most people. But memories are short and unreliable.

 

[minniemous]

If you thought this was a problem with fp- you may wish to look at the posts involving multiple bands under fp+

Honestly I don't think it matters what Disney puts in place. Savvy people are always going to find work arounds !

Well I can not believe that there is not a way to stop that from happening. I hope there is a way to fix that and hope they do so very soon.

 

[BugsDaddy]

If you thought this was a problem with fp- you may wish to look at the posts involving multiple bands under fp+

Honestly I don't think it matters what Disney puts in place. Savvy people are always going to find work arounds !

I agree. There are always people who will find some loophole in the system. All I am trying to say is that to deny that the old system did not have any loopholes and that there was not a disadvantage to a particularly large group of guests in that old system is just denying the truth.

 

[Luckybee]

Well I can not believe that there is not a way to stop that from happening. I hope there is a way to fix that and hope they do so very soon.

Well you can "hope" for all sorts of things but it has been happening for well over a year now and D has done nothing to change it. Of course there is a very easy way to "fix" this if Disney so chose to do so. But they haven't....so ?
There will always be a work around as long as people have the smarts to figure them out. I'm always amazed that there are those who are asking for perfect equality since same doesn't exist. Someone is always going to be able to take advantage of something better than someone else. I get all the logical reasons for either liking/disliking the new/old systems. But this isn't one of them.

 

[mom2rtk]

I guess that would depend on your definition of a "headliner". Fastpasses were available for a lot more rides in the old system than what would be considerd a "headliner" to most people. But memories are short and unreliable.

Sure. But it was a much heavier concentration of headliners. (Emphasis on MUCH). I could get 6 headliners in a day quite reliably in the MK. That might be doable these days, but not with any reliability.

 

[BugsDaddy]

I won't deny that I benefited from using the loopholes in the old system to gain advantage over guests that continued to use FP- as Disney had intended it to be used. Many people did and although not the majority, enough to probably impact the availability of FPasses for other people.

It is just disingenuous for people to claim otherwise.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Well you can "hope" for all sorts of things but it has been happening for well over a year now and D has done nothing to change it. Of course there is a very easy way to "fix" this if Disney so chose to do so. But they haven't....so ?
There will always be a work around as long as people have the smarts to figure them out. I'm always amazed that there are those who are asking for perfect equality since same doesn't exist. Someone is always going to be able to take advantage of something better than someone else. I get all the logical reasons for either liking/disliking the new/old systems. But this isn't one of them.

I think that people are allowed to dislike either system based on their perception of people being able to "work the system". It is no less logical than someone disliking FP+ because it doesn't fit in with their touring style. It's a personal opinion.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It seems strange that the only thing FP and overall Disney detractors love more than complaining is booking more Disney trips.

No, the last time my extended family went was 2013. To be sure, the dining fee was also a big turnoff. From 2003 until 2013 we went to WDW most years with extended family. (9 to 12 people)

We never abused the system, but we do have aging family members. They are no longer in perfect health, and getting from our resort to say, Epcot, is a bit of a hike. Just a few years ago, we felt welcome. Now we don't.

Disney has reduced customer service while raising prices. It is just that simple. Many CM's agree.

It makes me sad to see WDW fall apart like this. It makes me sad as a customer, and for the folks who work at WDW. They staked their career on a place they love.

 

[mom2rtk]

People get so worked up about those who "worked the system" with legacy FP. There must have been tricks I was never aware of. We did just fine using it the way any CM would tell us to use it if we had walked up and asked.

 

[BugsDaddy]

No, the last time my extended family went was 2013. To be sure, the dining fee was also a big turnoff. From 2003 until 2013 we went to WDW most years with extended family. (9 to 12 people)

We never abused the system, but we do have aging family members. They are no longer in perfect health, and getting from our resort to say, Epcot, is a bit of a hike. Just a few years ago, we felt welcome. Now we don't.

Disney has reduced customer service while raising prices. It is just that simple. Many CM's agree.

It makes me sad to see WDW fall apart like this. It makes me sad as a customer, and for the folks who work at WDW. They staked their career on a place they love.

I think the rumor of Disney's demise has been much exagerated. You want to see what demise looks like, take a glance over at Seaworld.

If anything, Disney needs to create more attractions to satisfy the hordes of people waiting at their gates with open wallets begging for this product that is supposedly falling apart.

 

[IrishNYC]

No, the last time my extended family went was 2013. To be sure, the dining fee was also a big turnoff. From 2003 until 2013 we went to WDW most years with extended family. (9 to 12 people)

We never abused the system, but we do have aging family members. They are no longer in perfect health, and getting from our resort to say, Epcot, is a bit of a hike. Just a few years ago, we felt welcome. Now we don't.

Disney has reduced customer service while raising prices. It is just that simple. Many CM's agree.

It makes me sad to see WDW fall apart like this. It makes me sad as a customer, and for the folks who work at WDW. They staked their career on a place they love.

The dining fee was a turnoff? Were you forced to get a dining plan? Why don't you feel welcome?