At the park now, FP+ lines are snaking through the park

[White_Sox_Fan]

I've skipped a few pages in this thread, so this might have been mentioned already, but, regarding capacity -- and those Star Tours pictures!! -- Josh had an interesting comment on the easyWDW forums yesterday. He said:

"They're supposedly distributing up to 75% of total capacity to FP+ for Star Tours, Test Track, Great Movie Ride and potentially others."

I have no doubt that this is true. Consider this, Disney is allowing onsite guest the opportunity to pre-book fastpasses and those that do are going to load up on those headliners. Disney still needs to have the ability to provide options for those guest booking fastpasses upon arrival and give them the variety they desire. The answer, amp up the percentage of ride capacity dedicated to FP+.

This is no surprise and is exactly what myself and many others were stating a year+ ago when we stated that the reasoning behind the enforcement of the FP- windows was to experiment with increased FP capacity in preparation for FP+.

We have a trip planned mid-March and I have got my MB's and have reserved my fastpasses and will say that it they are easy to reserve and easy to change. I usually planned in advance which parks I wanted to be in on which days so not too much of a problem there. We decided this time to try late MK EMH and sleep in the next day. Something, as RD'ers we would never do in the past. I booked afternoon Soarin' and TT (yes I took full advantage of the glitch) the next day happily thinking that this is great that I can get to the park at 3PM and still hit two of my favorites.

I am now, however, concerned that it will take me two to three hours to "fastpass" these two attractions. Placing 75% of the ride capacity in the FP line means longer FP wait times vs. FP-. This means for people like us (some might call us commandos) the RD becomes even more important if we want to get everything in that we normally would.

I enter the next trip with an open mind and we will see how it goes. We have another, longer, trip scheduled in May and will use this trip as a barometer of what to expect and how to adjust but generally feel that FP+ is a big minus for us.

EDIT:

I forgot to add that one problem with the lines extending out of the attraction so far is generally not much line space is dedicated to the FP line, more going to standby. Now we are directing more people through the FP line than standby, maybe they should flip the entrances to the attractions.

 

[mom2rtk]

Now we are directing more people through the FP line than standby, maybe they should flip the entrances to the attractions.

 

[johde]

It's called a sunk cost, and any company worth their salt should be able to recognize when you're throwing good money after bad. If the program doesn't work, toss it, rather than continue mounting losses.

That said, "doesn't work" is a pretty broad metric. Perhaps it doesn't work when it comes to shortening waits for rides. But that it likely not the only metric they're looking at.

I would agree. Disney is looking at multiple things and has "first hand" access to data we can only guess at. The biggest one being theme park attendance. Indications seem to suggest that attendance at the theme parks is continuing to grow. In 2012, the most recent data available, shows AK hitting record attendance annually since 2003. DHS flirting with the record attendances they saw pre DAK in 1996 and 1997, and Magic Kingdom close to the record attendance I could find in 1991. Epcot is the only park that's no where near record territory. I couldn't find data for the 80's unfortunately.
2012 Record year since 1991 (in Millions)
MK 17.5 18.0 (1991)
EP 11.1 14.1 (1991)
DHS 9.9 10.4 (1997)
DAK 9.99 9.99 (2012)

With the continued slow recovery, Disney still showed a 4% increase in domestic theme park attendance in fiscal year 2013 (sept 30 2012 -Sept 30 2013) but we don't know the break down by park but attendance supposedly decreased in California. So that would suggest last year was peak attendance for 3 or 4 parks and the parking lots looking busier this year by recent accounts.

So, even if FP+ was working, lines could be getting longer because there are more people in the parks than most people can ever remember seeing before.

 

[I M Fearless]

Not sure if this is good news or bad, but have just seen this thread where someone has only been able to select TWO fast passes per day:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50756826&posted=1#post50756826

Not sure of details yet.

 

[erddig]

3:21 in a line for muppets-on the side of the building...wow

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[erddig]

So no unusual wait for muppets, just moves the queue and made us await outside rather than move us inside

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[morethananyonex]

3:21 in a line for muppets-on the side of the building...wow

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

So no unusual wait for muppets, just moves the queue and made us await outside rather than move us inside

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

=Me when I read your first post

 

[erddig]

Lots of people complaining- some are getting yellow all day fast passes

We did not

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[flicx]

I never fast passed the muppets before. Hmmm I am learning more daily.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I've skipped a few pages in this thread, so this might have been mentioned already, but, regarding capacity -- and those Star Tours pictures!! -- Josh had an interesting comment on the easyWDW forums yesterday. He said:

"They're supposedly distributing up to 75% of total capacity to FP+ for Star Tours, Test Track, Great Movie Ride and potentially others."

So they are they essentially eliminating actual FP and they are now torturing us with trying to use their apps and websites and stress over all the planning all while we think it's actually going to be faster. But only 25% faster.

Fun.

 

[over50visits]

On our trip 2 weeks ago, the Mickey Readers were very sensitive and would light up with the slightest touch from the MB. In most instances the problems with people scanning were completely user-related.

People had the MB in their pocket or purse and didn't have them ready to scan. Some had them on backwards and were trying to scan with the "connectors" not the Mickey portion.
.
.
.
And, of course, there are those who just aren't very tech-friendly who don't have a clue what they're doing holding up the line.

Are you saying the delays in entering the FP+ queue are guests' fault because they're unable to use the system properly?

No one seems to have any trouble showing they FP- card. Worked for everyone, every time, quickly.

 

[Flamingeaux]

I've skipped a few pages in this thread, so this might have been mentioned already, but, regarding capacity -- and those Star Tours pictures!! -- Josh had an interesting comment on the easyWDW forums yesterday. He said:

"They're supposedly distributing up to 75% of total capacity to FP+ for Star Tours, Test Track, Great Movie Ride and potentially others."

To me that 75% isn't important. What is important is how many are used. People have to pick something.

 

[germ539]

Ah, remember the day of no fast passes at all. Sometimes I wish that we were back in the older days (for those that like fast passes, please don't throw tomatoes at my thought)

 

[3happydancers]

They will have to remedy this. No idea how they will figure it out, but they cannot continue to have the back up at the FP+ entrance. Even if the actual wait is the same (or even less) than FP-, it causes crowding, walkway flow issues, and (worst for Disney) perception problem. It "feels" longer. Let alone that it's often hotter than all get out in the blazing sun, in the uncovered not-quite-at-the-FP-queue-yet area.

It's not random or simply because it is busy. The MB takes too long to use even when it goes well, plus the tech fails. The fails are not all user error. We've been with MBs, and it was substantially MDX fails and the time it takes to prove to CMs that we really did have FPs. Annoying at best. I never have to prove to my parking garage that my card works.

I've heard others complaining that CM's are demanding PROOF of a fast pass when a glitch arises with the band. Sorry, so not acceptable!

 

[morethananyonex]

I've heard others complaining that CM's are demanding PROOF of a fast pass when a glitch arises with the band. Sorry, so not acceptable!

And what do they do with guests that can't provide proof? Their own kiosks don't even provide proof to offsite guests. Not every guest owns a smartphone to pull up what they see as their FP selections. Sure I could print my FP times, but how good is this proof anyways? I could easily schedule my FP, print them out for "proof" and then change them after.

It is much easier to lie your way into this system than the old one, that's for sure. What we experienced was CMs who just didn't want to hear it anymore and waved people through. It was most common at the second scanners, we actually saw people hop the line and walk through the second scan point with a blue mickey and nobody really cared.

 

[larryz]

Oh! That is AWESOME! If I give up my one FP for now, do I get a bonus FP?

No, but you can sit in "First Class" at the Hall of Presidents...

 

[ChrisFL]

And what do they do with guests that can't provide proof? Their own kiosks don't even provide proof to offsite guests. Not every guest owns a smartphone to pull up what they see as their FP selections. Sure I could print my FP times, but how good is this proof anyways? I could easily schedule my FP, print them out for "proof" and then change them after.

It is much easier to lie your way into this system than the old one, that's for sure. What we experienced was CMs who just didn't want to hear it anymore and waved people through. It was most common at the second scanners, we actually saw people hop the line and walk through the second scan point with a blue mickey and nobody really cared.

I think there is a big drawback compared to FP- is that there is nothing facing the guest as far as a screen goes, to show them why their FP+ isn't working, etc, from what I've seen, just CM's with Ipads in some places.

 

[Planogirl]

To me that 75% isn't important. What is important is how many are used. People have to pick something.

People or the system. I just wonder how much impact the APP picking FP+ for people will make.

 

[ks-man]

It seems that WDW wants to come to terms with the fact that the attractions can not handle the capacity they keep crowding into the parks....They are being greedy and not concerned with the customer experience.... I think it is shameful

You do realize the laws of supply and demand here would state that there is too much demand for the supply and that means Disney should raise prices until the demand for attending the parks = the capacity level the parks could handle. I'm sure that would go over well...

Also, in all the other threads people complain that 3 FP+ are too few and there shouldn't be tiering but this thread seems to make the opposite claim that there are too many FP+ being handed out for the top attractions.

So there aren't too many choices here, either raise ticket prices so fewer people want to come to Disney, limit people to less than 3 FP+ or else expect longer lines.

Everybody keeps saying go back to FP- but as has been stated many times, the reason FP- worked the way people around here liked it is b/c so few Disney vacationers used it. This meant a great experience for a knowledgeable select few but a very poor experience for everybody else in very long standby lines. FP+ seems to be intended to more even out the experience across the board so the people around here are being brought down a level and experiencing lines they aren't used to however I'd bet the average vacationer is loving FP+ as they are getting a few rides during even busy holiday times with a much lower wait.

 

[rastuso]

You do realize the laws of supply and demand here would state that there is too much demand for the supply and that means Disney should raise prices until the demand for attending the parks = the capacity level the parks could handle. I'm sure that would go over well... Also, in all the other threads people complain that 3 FP+ are too few and there shouldn't be tiering but this thread seems to make the opposite claim that there are too many FP+ being handed out for the top attractions. So there aren't too many choices here, either raise ticket prices so fewer people want to come to Disney, limit people to less than 3 FP+ or else expect longer lines. Everybody keeps saying go back to FP- but as has been stated many times, the reason FP- worked the way people around here liked it is b/c so few Disney vacationers used it. This meant a great experience for a knowledgeable select few but a very poor experience for everybody else in very long standby lines. FP+ seems to be intended to more even out the experience across the board so the people around here are being brought down a level and experiencing lines they aren't used to however I'd bet the average vacationer is loving FP+ as they are getting a few rides during even busy holiday times with a much lower wait.

Raising prices by about 20% across the board would solve problems. But Disney doesn't want to Scare people off. If folks will be kidnapped, and buy a weeks worth of low quality, over priced food, Disney doesn't care about rides. In fact, I'd guess a kidnappee that buys week long tickets for their family, eats $9 burgers all week, and doesn't ride many rides is EXACTLY what they want.

I do think they need to cut the big discounts for 7 day tickets, but again, as long as critical mass doesn't start ******** about the FP+ lines! they want people going 7 days, 3 rides a day. And raising prices so families only buy 5 days of tickets means they may wonder up North.

I don't see Disney changing things majorly until their internal poles show a HUGE increase in dissatisfaction. And who knows, they may be close to that now. This past weekend proved they are in a tough spot, and only one new ride opening in the next 3 or more years.

Popcorn::

Jason