AP's to get 20 FP+ per quarter

[mousermerf]

This new FP+ system sounds worst as it is eliminating a lot of flexibility that the current FP has. Right now I think I'd rather stay onsite at Universal than use the new FP+ system at WDW.

But we all know the vast majority will continue to go to WDW - not just the visitors who have no idea this is all changing, but the "faithful" as well.

 

[lugnut33]

Yield management, folks......I'm telling ya.

I particpated in the FP+ trials last week. A few impressions:

1. First thing I realized was I should have written down my choices and times. At least with a paper FP you can pull it out of your pocket and look at it to see the times. I find myself doing that several times a day because, well, the time window for an FP is not the sort of brain minutia I want to have to keep track of. And while there is a monetary incentive NOT to miss most ADR's (because of CC confirmation), people keep a list of those with them. But FP+ is an RFID card that tells you nothing. You can't look at it and see what's coming up next at what time.

2. Second thing I noticed was that I would receive an email itinerary of my FP+ choices for that day - often several hours after the times for the FP's, Nice to be reminded that I was supposed to have been on TSM an hour ago.

3. Third thing I noticed was that FP and FP+ were putting pressure not only on Standby lines, but also the FP lines. I've never seen an FP line for Space Mountain reach back to the Lunching Pad on a Wednesday in early December before but I did last week.

4. Fourth thing I noticed - turning more things into "experiences" increases the number of choices available, thus providing more resource yield and spreading users out over a broader base. But I found myself reserving things I normally would not have even participated in or attended because, well, I still have 2 of my 4 choices for that day left over because I couldn't reserve SM or BTMR more than once. And that both bothered and disappointed me. At what point does a ride on the parking lot Tram qualify as a participating resource? Okay, that's a little cynical but illustrates the concept.

So Disney is going to accomplish what they need to accomplish by micro-managing guest demand, but personally I think there is going to be a lot of pushback on this.

Thanks for the good observations, they are interesting but are not things that make me feel FP+ is a good thing. Definitely feel like I'm being herded like a cow.

 

[DOOM1001]

I think FP+ can be a good thing as long as they're limited.I feel that regular FP is a near perfect system,the only flaws are for example I never start my days at DHS so I can never get a FP for TSMM,in the time that it's been open I've ridden it twice,which is crazy.So the ability to get a FP for a ride in a park you plan to be at later in the day would be something I would approve of.The whole planning out what rides you're going to ride months in advance is not my style at all.I however feel this technology is too out there for probably 80% of the the guests who visit Disney,many of of whom don't even know how to use regular FP.

 

[Sammie]

But we all know the vast majority will continue to go to WDW - not just the visitors who have no idea this is all changing, but the "faithful" as well.

Because many of us have no problem with the changes.

 

[Mom2six]

Exactly..when we go early in the AM the park is slow so we never pull or use FP's .. so you ride with little wait simply because people are not THERE then once the park gets crowded you leave and go to the park you have your FP+'s reserved for.

FP+ may actually make the parks even less crowded in the morning. People who normally only go to RD so they are able to get FPs, may just schedule their FP+ and come later to the park. So in the morning, there very well could be less people.

I think this whole FP+ system seems to complicated for the average visitor. People who do a lot of research for the visit, and check out forums and Disney all year long are not the average visitor. If going to Disney ends up being too complicated, guests will start leaving unhappy and not go back. If the FP+ system has some way of letting the average visitor know what to do as their trips approach, that may make it easier.

 

[Silock]

As long as I can still use the FP system as it exists currently, I'll be fine with whatever they do to FP+. That may not happen, though, and that concerns me greatly. I rode RnR 7 times in an hour in December through use of FP and single rider lines. My wife and I did EE 5 times in one day using FP and standing in the line when it was low. If I can't do that any more, my enthusiasm for going back to WDW will be greatly diminished.

 

[fla4fun]

Yup... what is being reported is four per day.. that means 5 days per quarter do you get use of FP. Period.

OK, so I'm confused.

Are you saying that if I make one FP+ reservation for a particular day that I am required to make three more? If I don't, do they cancel the one I did make?

I understand a limit of 20 per quarter, and the limits regarding one park per day. But if you are getting 20 per quarter, it would seem they would be expecting those 20 to be spread over more than 5 days. Of course, I'm still waiting for the clarification on whether being a resort guest cancels overrides being an AP holder.

Just curious . . . I don't use FP very often at all now, and I don't see that changing a lot in the future - but it would be nice to have this point clarified.

And for the people who were talking tech or no tech, I have to admit I bought an ipod touch specifically for use at WDW. I don't have a smartphone by choice, and I don't want a phone on me in the parks (most of my trips are solo, so it's not like I have to meet up with people). I'm one of those who locks their cell phone in the room safe for the duration of the trip. I thought the touch was the best compromise. I don't like carrying it though, because I worry about damaging it somehow, but I'm "adapting", lol! I do have to admit it came in handy a couple of times on the last trip for keeping an eye on the weather radar. . . .

 

[larryz]

And for the people who were talking tech or no tech, I have to admit I bought an ipod touch specifically for use at WDW. I don't have a smartphone by choice, and I don't want a phone on me in the parks (most of my trips are solo, so it's not like I have to meet up with people). I'm one of those who locks their cell phone in the room safe for the duration of the trip. I thought the touch was the best compromise. I don't like carrying it though, because I worry about damaging it somehow, but I'm "adapting", lol! I do have to admit it came in handy a couple of times on the last trip for keeping an eye on the weather radar. . . .

I have, thus far, steadfastly resisted buying into the not-so-smartphone rage, but yours is one of the first good arguments I've seen to change my mind.

 

[aubriee]

I was excited about FP plus, but from what I've seen so far, I'm not impressed with what I have seen so far. I am an AP holder who goes to WDW about 20 days a year. I think as long as I have a choice, I will stick with regular FP for now.

Me too! I've got one other problem with it. I always have an AP down there. However, I always let my current AP expire and then just buy a new one at the beginning of my next trip. For example, my AP expired Nov 27th and I won't get a new one until I arrive back at WDW in May. I don't want to buy a new one online, because I have several of those old one day park tickets I've had to buy in the past for some promotioln or another. You can only apply one of those tickets per year toward a new AP. Anyway, since I won't get my new AP until I arrive down there in May and since I'll be staying at Bonnet Creek, does this mean I won't be able to get any fastpasses for my May trip? Although, I have never made a trip down there without using an AP, I technically won't be an AP holder until the day I get down there and I won't be staying onsite. I also don't carry a phone around down there. I like being disconnected from the world and keep my cell phone in the room safe, checking it once a day for any calls.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Because many of us have no problem with the changes.

People find the darnedest things to get all torn to pieces about.

 

[dcfromva]

Does anyone have any idea when FP+ will go live?

 

[aubriee]

From what I've read so far, it seems you would not be able to use all 20 slots for TSMM. You get 3 choices per day at DHS, and no duplication of rides. It seems like no partial days either.

See that'd be another problem for me. I love TSMM, but DS is by far my least favorite park. Before TSMM and the refurb of Star Tours, there were alot of trips where I'd completely skip DS for the entire 10 day trip. Now I normally arrive ar rope drop, make the mad rush to TSMM, grab a fast pass, ride once (and alot of times twice) standby, go ride Star Tours, then use my TSMM fast pass. I would then sometimes stop off to see Muppets and if I happened to be with someone who wanted to ride RnR, we'd use the single rider line for it. However, I am always out of DS by lunch time. For me DS is a half day park (and normally even less than that). It's just not a park I enjoy, but I do love TSMM. Like the previous poster I would use all my fastplass+ slots for TSMM, as there is nothing else there I would use them on.

 

[aubriee]

I particpated in the FP+ trials last week. A few impressions:

2. Second thing I noticed was that I would receive an email itinerary of my FP+ choices for that day - often several hours after the times for the FP's, Nice to be reminded that I was supposed to have been on TSM an hour agoself doing that several times a day because, well, the time window for an FP is not the.

3. Third thing I noticed was that FP and FP+ were putting pressure not only on Standby lines, but also the FP lines. I've never seen an FP line for Space Mountain reach back to the Lunching Pad on a Wednesday in early December before but I did last week.
QUOTE]

I don't even carry my phone in the parks and I guess I'm not very tech savy, because I have no idea how to check my emails down there and wouldn't want to even if I could.

The fast pass line was all the way out of the building and all the way back to the Lunching Pad? Heck, how long was the standby line? No way would I stand in a line like that. That's when I'd leave the park and run over to Universal. (I am an AP holder for both.) In fact, the more I hear about Fast Pass Plus the better staying onsite at Universal looks. I love their front of the line perk and it does not interfere with their regular lines either. Plus they have more single rider lines, which works great if we are not staying onsite for front of the line access. I need to get another WDW AP for my May trip, but the more I'm reading, the more I'm thining about skipping WDW this next year (and I usualy go 4-6 times a year to WDW).

 

[mesaboy2]

Does anyone have any idea when FP+ will go live?

No.

 

[DebbieB]

People find the darnedest things to get all torn to pieces about.

Especially when nothing is official, it's all rumor. Plus they just finished another round of testing, anything could change.

 

[aubriee]

For the record, utilization is the number of people who ride an attraction versus the capacity. If a ride takes 100 people an hour and only 70 ride, it is at 70% utilization.

Disney considers unused ride capacity or the "utilization gap" to be wasted investment and resources. They want you on the less popular rides and not re-riding the e-tickets which are at or near 100% utilization. In fact, those rides turn potential guests away due to the lengthy queues.

So while it may upset you to find it out, Disney does not want you doing what you do to ride an e-ticket 2 or more times per visit. They are putting in processes to stop you.

What they may actually be doing though, is putting people off so much that we won't be going there at all. As I said in a previous post, I am not a fan of
DS. The only rides I like there are TSMM and Star Tours. I like them enough to make a trip over there and while I am there I may stop off and see the Muppets and if I happen to be there around lunch time I may stop off at the bar at 50's Prime Time to eat lunch. I also like their gift shops for some reason and always stop in the Villian's candy store and also grab a cupcake at Starring Rolls for later, so I do spend money there. However if they keep me from riding TSMM several times,(like I do now), then I won't even bother entering that park for the whole ten days I'm down there every trip. TSMM is the only reason I go to DS.

 

[aubriee]

What about the non-local AP holders such as myself? We come for either one extended visit per year or two smaller trips, so we tend to buy APs. If we take the longer trip, I can only use Fps for a few days of my trip? Thats not fair! I am paying big bucks for APs. I'd just as soon buy regular tickets if the only way I can get FPs is with them!

There's some speculation that AP holders who stay onsite might get the same FP+ onsite privileges as other onsite guests who are using MYW tickets. If that's the case, I'd be much happier than trying to figure out how to ration my AP's ration of FP+ over the course of a 10-day or 14-day trip.

But what about those AP holders like me that make 4-6 trips a year down there and choose to stay offsite? Like I said in a previous post, I was at AKL for ten days in Sept, then offsite for another ten days in Oct/Nov. I'll be down there again in May for eleven days, again offsite (skipping my Feb trip this year). There's an excelent chance that I'll be down there more than once a quarter and that I'll be staying offsite for most of those trips and each trip will be 10-11 days long. I won't be able to use fastpass for even the length of one trip and then will not be able to use it at all if another trip happens to fall within that quarter. I am not local and just like any other out of state guest, spend alot money on airfare to get down there. My AP costs more than the guest who makes a once in a lifetime trip down there for a week. It just seems like WDW is punishing their loyal AP holders. My trip costs just as much as the person who makes a once in a lifetime trip down there, yet they get fastpasses, while if my trip happens to be the second in that quarter, I don't. For that matter they will get fastpasses for their whole trip, but even it's my first trip down there for that quarter, I only get fastpasses for five out of my eleven days. How is that fair?

 

[Traveliz]

But what about those AP holders like me that make 4-6 trips a year down there and choose to stay offsite? Like I said in a previous post, I was at AKL for ten days in Sept, then offsite for another ten days in Oct/Nov. I'll be down there again in May for eleven days, again offsite (skipping my Feb trip this year). There's an excelent chance that I'll be down there more than once a quarter and that I'll be staying offsite for most of those trips and each trip will be 10-11 days long. I won't be able to use fastpass for even the length of one trip and then will not be able to use it at all if another trip happens to fall within that quarter. I am not local and just like any other out of state guest, spend alot money on airfare to get down there. My AP costs more than the guest who makes a once in a lifetime trip down there for a week. It just seems like WDW is punishing their loyal AP holders. My trip costs just as much as the person who makes a once in a lifetime trip down there, yet they get fastpasses, while if my trip happens to be the second in that quarter, I don't. For that matter they will get fastpasses for their whole trip, but even it's my first trip down there for that quarter, I only get fastpasses for five out of my eleven days. How is that fair?

Yeah it doesn't seem right - hopefuly that isn't the way it goes. I am AP too and have a condo ( I am not here year round - just for visits) in the area so I do a lot of runs to the park for one thing, shopping, dinner, that sort of thing BUT I also do a lot of commnado trips with friends and family who I either bring with me or come to visit and I would hate to end up being their tour guide (just a phrase) and not get to do the attractions with them because I have used up my "allowance"

Liz

 

[aubriee]

Yeah it doesn't seem right - hopefuly that isn't the way it goes. I am AP too and have a condo ( I am not here year round - just for visits) in the area so I do a lot of runs to the park for one thing, shopping, dinner, that sort of thing BUT I also do a lot of commnado trips with friends and family who I either bring with me or come to visit and I would hate to end up being their tour guide (just a phrase) and not get to do the attractions with them because I have used up my "allowance"

Liz

True! I usually take my mom down there once a year (this year I took her twice though). I have an AP, but she never does. My husband gets an AP and usually makes two trips a year with me. He is not as big as fan as I am though, so I make several solo trips (or a trip with my mom), where he does not go. With the alottment of only 20 FP per quarter for an AP holder, most trips I would not be able to ride with my husband and my mom would never be able to ride with us. We would have to ride stand by all the time.

What gets me though is even on my solo trips, I wouldn't be able to use fast passes for my entire trip. I'm always down there for alot more than five days. I also don't think it's right that they won't let you use your alloted fast passes on the rides you want. I would use one for TSM, but then my other two would be wasted for that day, since I don't care for the other rides at that park. I would rather be able to leave that park and go over to AK to use my other two fastpasses for that day.

 

[G8r4evr]

FP+ sounds incredibly complicated for a vacation that I am supposed to be letting my brain rest during. Sheesh.