AP's to get 20 FP+ per quarter

[Robbi]

Apparently, those crafty guests have found something else to do while they wait besides spending money.

The new system will freeze them in the immediate vicinity of a revenue venue.

Very clever, Mrs Esterhouse...

The new system won't freeze me if I don't go anymore. Honestly, in the last 5 years I have become less and less enamored with WDW. When going on vacation becomes a chore, it isn't fun. We will probably go once a year instead of 3-4 times. This will be the first year in a very long time that I will not be renewing our APs. Even the discounts with the APs are about on par with the general public codes which have been released earlier than the AP codes lately anyway.
I can use my DVC points to stay at other places throughout the real world.
Edited to add, although we are DVC members, we use discounts to stay on site for weekends because the points are so much higher. Thought some might be confused as to why we would use resort discounts when we have DVC points.

 

[meggiebeth]

The new system won't freeze me if I don't go anymore. Honestly, in the last 5 years I have become less and less enamored with WDW. When going on vacation becomes a chore, it isn't fun. We will probably go once a year instead of 3-4 times. This will be the first year in a very long time that I will not be renewing our APs. Even the discounts with the APs are about on par with the general public codes which have been released earlier than the AP codes lately anyway.
I can use my DVC points to stay at other places throughout the real world.
Edited to add, although we are DVC members, we use discounts to stay on site for weekends because the points are so much higher. Thought some might be confused as to why we would use resort discounts when we have DVC points.

We can't afford to go more than once every two years at a push, so when we go, we do want it to be fun. Because we come all the way over from Europe, we stay onsite for 2 weeks which REALLY adds up with all the airfare. We will not be as keen to come back if we are so limited and have to plan rides as well as meals. That seems silly. A good background and intention but still silly.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[TDC Nala]

I think if the intent by WDW was to get rid of standby lines altogether, they wouldn't have put lots of bucks into "interactive" standby lines.

So shorter lines for those who use Fastpass Plus, and interactive "play areas" for those who don't, because they'll be waiting. Haunted Mansion's FP + test had anyone not using the test go through the interactive graveyard, while the option to bypass the graveyard was only for those using FP +.

Or when they roll it out for real you'll get right on the ride with your FP plus, while everyone else hangs in the graveyard until they are "called."

 

[mousermerf]

Notes..

A selling point to corporate for FP was "guests will have more time to shop!"

Most guest purchases are made at the end of the day. That's still true and nothing really changed. FP, as it exists, isn't controlled by the guests - the time slot advances and you've no way of controlling when the return time is. If it was, guests would "plan other things" like dining and possibly shopping. But it's not.. and guests with intent to ride - thus deferred - still really have "intent to ride" on the mind and wander over to another attraction with a shorter line, or at least a line they reasonably managed in their waiting period.

"Two wait for the price of one!" was not what Disney had intended when they planned FP.

They make very nifty computer models of guests with "intent to ride" "self-limiting queue length" "travel time between attractions" "utilization of dining" etc.. that Disney declares are extremely accurate at this point. They even have software that predicts how big of a walkway they need between areas with sidewalk entertainment going on.. the number of guests who will opt-in, cause congestion, and the number who will try to get around, give up and go another way, etc..

Assuming they don't piss everyone off royally..

They've got a pretty decent leeway.. only 60% of theme park guests are repeat guests (including anyone who went when they were 1 and then returned as an adult.)

 

[mousermerf]

As for being aware of return time..

A) Resorts should theorhetically print out the reservations the same way they are supposed to print Dining Itins. Yeah, dining has had that functionality since the early days.. not that the resorts have ever done it.

B) Thy'll call you, text you, etc.. with reminders. As one who was part of their tests with being texted reminder.. they'll send PLENTY.

Txt from Disney: Go meet Goofy in Town Square! He'll be there in 5 minutes!

Reply: I don't want to meet Goofy.

Txt from Disney: The evening parade starts in 10 minutes! There's still time to grab a good spot!

Reply: Liar. It's packed and there's no "good" spots.

Txt from Disney (at 9:30pm after a 9pm close): Mickey Mouse says: Goodnight from the Magic Kingdom! We hope to see you again real soon!"

Reply: I was asleep in my hotel room, but thanks for that totally important message.

 

[mousermerf]

So it begins.. New verbiage on the new Disney World website when you look at a FP attraction and hover over the info icon:

"There is a limit to the number of FASTPASS tickets available to you each day."

 

[skater]

So it begins.. New verbiage on the new Disney World website when you look at a FP attraction and hover over the info icon:

"There is a limit to the number of FASTPASS tickets available to you each day."

Again - yuck.

 

[KrazeeK120]

So it begins.. New verbiage on the new Disney World website when you look at a FP attraction and hover over the info icon:

"There is a limit to the number of FASTPASS tickets available to you each day."

Hm...wonder how we're supposed to know what the limit is?

 

[mggeary]

Sorry if already asked, but does anyone know how FP+ will affect child swap?

 

[bcrook]

Notes..

A selling point to corporate for FP was "guests will have more time to shop!"

Most guest purchases are made at the end of the day. That's still true and nothing really changed. FP, as it exists, isn't controlled by the guests - the time slot advances and you've no way of controlling when the return time is. If it was, guests would "plan other things" like dining and possibly shopping. But it's not.. and guests with intent to ride - thus deferred - still really have "intent to ride" on the mind and wander over to another attraction with a shorter line, or at least a line they reasonably managed in their waiting period.

"Two wait for the price of one!" was not what Disney had intended when they planned FP.

They make very nifty computer models of guests with "intent to ride" "self-limiting queue length" "travel time between attractions" "utilization of dining" etc.. that Disney declares are extremely accurate at this point. They even have software that predicts how big of a walkway they need between areas with sidewalk entertainment going on.. the number of guests who will opt-in, cause congestion, and the number who will try to get around, give up and go another way, etc..

Assuming they don't piss everyone off royally..

They've got a pretty decent leeway.. only 60% of theme park guests are repeat guests (including anyone who went when they were 1 and then returned as an adult.)

I've always wondered about that. I never really felt like a FP was an opportunity for me to shop, but rather a way to squeeze in more rides. I viewed it as great PR and a crowd pleaser! But it does look like wdw is trying to reinforce that original model. The whole concept seems bizarre, but then again it does remind me of the ticket booklet days of the mid seventies. I remember as a kid trying to decide if I wanted burn an e-ticket on jungle cruise or 20000 leagues under the sea! My dad was not going to buy me those 90 cent extra tickets!

 

[ftballfan7]

i believe that was actually one of the main points of ftballfan7's post in the first place.

bingo!

 

[Robo]

So it begins.. New verbiage on the new Disney World website when you look at a FP attraction and hover over the info icon:

"There is a limit to the number of FASTPASS tickets available to you each day."

Well, if you take that in a broader sense, that has always been the case.

 

[Robbi]

So it begins.. New verbiage on the new Disney World website when you look at a FP attraction and hover over the info icon:

"There is a limit to the number of FASTPASS tickets available to you each day."

I can see this happening:
Touring Plan Options

Fast Pass Plus which helps you to avoid waits in line. You get 5 FPs per day. This is included in the cost of your tickets.

Magical Fast Pass Plus which allows you to have unlimited Fast Passes for only $_____ per day.

 

[Laketravis]

I can see this happening:
Touring Plan Options

Fast Pass Plus which helps you to avoid waits in line. You get 5 FPs per day. This is included in the cost of your tickets.

Magical Fast Pass Plus which allows you to have unlimited Fast Passes for only $_____ per day.

Yep. You don't spend a billion+ dollars on something without expecting a return.

 

[bcrook]

I can see this happening:
Touring Plan Options

Fast Pass Plus which helps you to avoid waits in line. You get 5 FPs per day. This is included in the cost of your tickets.

Magical Fast Pass Plus which allows you to have unlimited Fast Passes for only $_____ per day.

Back to the 70s model. Lots of ticket levels and benefits.

 

[hookedonears]

I can see this happening:
Touring Plan Options

Fast Pass Plus which helps you to avoid waits in line. You get 5 FPs per day. This is included in the cost of your tickets.

Magical Fast Pass Plus which allows you to have unlimited Fast Passes for only $_____ per day.

I've always expected that an unlimited FP offer for a specific $ would be coming sooner or later, with the offer being limited to Annual Pass holders and on property guest. The big question that I've posted here before is; how is this new FP+ program going to affect the current FP inventory for each attraction. The only way I see the system working properly is if the inventory level is reduced for each FP+ reserved. Doing that successfully would be a major undertaking.

 

[mom2rtk]

Back to the 70s model. Lots of ticket levels and benefits.

....... while building on the base price that applied when one ticket got you all of it, including unlimited fastpass.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

man oh mam ~ didn't realized how much thinking is going "into"
all this planning.

why not go all the way?~ & dropped all the comeback times?

why not do colors? coded for breaking up the "numbers" game-
with the "averages" & the rides/shows/greets that they are @
%-wise in dividing up the "majority", and then color codes the
attractions they would reasonable "doable"- in general , i
would imagine,new guests are trying to visit all the regions of
a given park. then set up different colors that would
take them all around where they can branch out or
skipped but then can re-connect. they could also break
up the parades into 2 sections-day/night. as for some
of the highest /most popular attractions---some colors
could share the same "times."

doing "groupings" will also increase efficiency because the parks
can be confusing/overwhelming--so the colors could be used,
as directions by coloring the best routes with the park
guides.

it isn't difficult to see this evolving because just liked those
visiting the parks once a year & '"vs'" the frequent flyers-
jamming up, on the "high-lights" only.

then there is the cost factor.... i think most would pay extra
for f-passes. after all, many have been sold on e-bay.

 

[doconeill]

Well, if you take that in a broader sense, that has always been the case.

Agreed. Not sure anything has really changed in that regard.

 

[mousermerf]

Agreed. Not sure anything has really changed in that regard.

It's new verbiage for a reason - they don't change things like the FP stipulations on a whim.