Better Have A Good Touring Plan Since You Only Get 3 FP+ Experiences--UPDATE page 12

[BridgetBordeaux]

We have been going to WDW several times a year for many years. My signature at the bottom of this post does not reflect the numerous off site stays we have enjoyed.

Just finished our first "pure" FP+ multi day trip.

We are rope droppers that could easily acquire 3 fast passes by lunchtime and probably 2 or three more by dinner time each day under the old system.

The new FP+ system severely limits how many attractions we could enjoy in a day. Once the afternoon crowds built up, it was almost painful to see the long wait times and knew that if wanted to do an attraction, we had to endure it or skip it.

Whereas we used to ride the headliners several times a day, we could now only do some of them once or maybe twice. There was also no incentive to take a mid afternoon break and return at 5 or 6 pm because all the lines we now long for most attractions.

Although we love WDW and the overall atmosphere................it just didn't feel quite the same this time. It is fair to say that we had a little less enjoyment than in the past and a shorter stay would have been extremely disappointing.

The bottom line is that you will need to still arrive early and do your favorites in the morning and then do your FP+ attractions later in the day.

One last thing...............stay away from those new kiosks during the late morning to the afternoon period. The lines were long and/or there we very limited choices for attractions as the day wore on.

We were able to still achieve an overall enjoyment factor of about a 7 or an 8.....................but we are used to experiencing 9's and 10's on most visits.

 

[laceemouse]

We were there last week and did great with FP+. We were even able to get TSMM for later the same day.

 

[agavegirl1]

Well, I do have a good touring plan and the hardest part will be my DBF not knowing that I do. He already thinks that I am a genius for managing to skip long lines and so on. However, now I have to tell him we have an "appointment" to ride. Kinda hard to make it look like spontaneous fun now.

 

[disnut1149]

We were there last week and did great with FP+. We were even able to get TSMM for later the same day.

How long did you have to wait in lines for other attractions? I think it's nice to have 3 rides reserved, but don't want to wait in long lines for everything else. I use to pull at least 5 -6 FPs a day.

 

[Planogirl]

My tentative plan right now for when we go back is to try to book FP+ for the evening and then either make rope drop and leave when the crowds build up or go do something else in the Orlando area until that evening. I already know that we don't have the patience to wait in long standby lines so this will probably be the best way to go for us.

 

[disnut1149]

My tentative plan right now for when we go back is to try to book FP+ for the evening and then either make rope drop and leave when the crowds build up or go do something else in the Orlando area until that evening. I already know that we don't have the patience to wait in long standby lines so this will probably be the best way to go for us.

Good plan. We'll probably do that too. So much for keeping people locked into their parks with FP+!! Go spend money elsewhere.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

In the past, we used to hang around and buy a bit more food to hold us over until an afternoon fastpass time arrived. This time, we often left mid afternoon and ate a meal out in town. We spent less money and less time in the parks.

We made a point to keep as much of the magic in our hearts as possible by riding on various vessels around the property and we made sure to do some resort hopping.

We have another trip planned and paid for in the month of May. It will be shorter than out last one (it was 8 days and the May trip will include 4 days)

Being an annual pass holder, we get to kinda pick up where we left off from the last trip................but I feel sorry for those on a tight schedule that only do this trip once in a few years............or decades.

 

[LisaTC]

Being an annual pass holder, we get to kinda pick up where we left off from the last trip................but I feel sorry for those on a tight schedule that only do this trip once in a few years............or decades.

Yeah...and I don't know that Disney is concerned about these people. I really dissected our trips to see how many re-rides we did via FP- and we always rode BTMRR at least twice, Splash 2x, POTC, 2x, used FP for Peter Pan, Dumbo, Goofy, Mermaid - but wouldn't be allowed to do that now. Wouldn't use FP+ for parades or meet and greets. Highly...unlikely. So, for us this will be a challenge. I never felt like we were all over the place, but hey, some people may have viewed the FP users that way. We got a FP for say BTMRR and then went to Haunted Mansion or something.

I don't know...I've tried to keep an open mind because change is inevitable, but it seems helter-skelter with this implementation and, frankly, odd. Like your example, you didn't stay, you didn't spend more. I see us going at rope drop doing what we can until it gets crowded and long lines and then head elsewhere, either using our FP+ at another park of heading to the resort pool. I have the ride wait app and I look at it all the time to see how things are and I see waits for things I never thought I'd see...ever. 85 minutes for Jungle Cruise? Seriously? I think it seems like such a mess, but others have said, "hey, it worked great..." I guess you never know until you know, but it's an expensive fact finding expedition!

 

[2Tiggies]

My tentative plan right now for when we go back is to try to book FP+ for the evening and then either make rope drop and leave when the crowds build up or go do something else in the Orlando area until that evening. I already know that we don't have the patience to wait in long standby lines so this will probably be the best way to go for us.

You and I have a similar approach to this. I'm not having fun spending 30 minutes in line for Journey Into The Imagination so I'm planning around this by doing the same. I make a color coded At-A-Glance itinerary planner for our trips and use the same template to work from every year. This one stands out like a sore thumb. We have always been hard core with out park hours and it's not unusual for us to spend 18 hours straight in a park if the hours allow that. This year's plan is peppers with gaps with 'non Disney' color codes because .... well, I can't use my Disney colors for offsite now can I?! On the plus side, we always use being at WDW as an excuse not to get out and see more of the local area's offerings and try out new restaurants so we are finally getting to do that.

Good plan. We'll probably do that too. So much for keeping people locked into their parks with FP+!! Go spend money elsewhere.

As above.

FWIW, the OP does not come across as being a former commando in the parks. I don't think 5-6 FP's could have been considered excessive under the old system and they did try make the best of it ...... but as I said before, I spent my money on my vacation and flights before this rolled out and just hoping for the best on my hard saved for, and now limited and over scheduled, vacation is just not good enough for me.

 

[MichelleVW]

We were there last week and did great with FP+. We were even able to get TSMM for later the same day.

Same here...we had a great time with Fast Pass Plus...and honestly I think I like touring with Fast Pass Plus better. Less running around...we still did everything we wanted with no wait and we actually got to sleep in two mornings which is something we NEVER did with regular Fast Pass.

How long did you have to wait in lines for other attractions? I think it's nice to have 3 rides reserved, but don't want to wait in long lines for everything else. I use to pull at least 5 -6 FPs a day.

We really didn't wait for anything last week.

We used to pull a lot too...but we also have a bunch in a drawer too that we didn't use because we figured that riding Everest 4 times was enough and we really didn't need that 5th ride. Honestly as much as I love Soarin even with the Fast Pass the loading process takes so long that I really don't like riding it more than once.

Yeah...and I don't know that Disney is concerned about these people. I really dissected our trips to see how many re-rides we did via FP- and we always rode BTMRR at least twice, Splash 2x, POTC, 2x, used FP for Peter Pan, Dumbo, Goofy, Mermaid - but wouldn't be allowed to do that now. Wouldn't use FP+ for parades or meet and greets. Highly...unlikely. So, for us this will be a challenge. I never felt like we were all over the place, but hey, some people may have viewed the FP users that way. We got a FP for say BTMRR and then went to Haunted Mansion or something.

I don't know...I've tried to keep an open mind because change is inevitable, but it seems helter-skelter with this implementation and, frankly, odd. Like your example, you didn't stay, you didn't spend more. I see us going at rope drop doing what we can until it gets crowded and long lines and then head elsewhere, either using our FP+ at another park of heading to the resort pool. I have the ride wait app and I look at it all the time to see how things are and I see waits for things I never thought I'd see...ever. 85 minutes for Jungle Cruise? Seriously? I think it seems like such a mess, but others have said, "hey, it worked great..." I guess you never know until you know, but it's an expensive fact finding expedition!

We rode all the above multiple times last week with either EMH hours, Fast Pass Plus...or good timing. And I have always seen long lines for Jungle Cruise...I don't wait in them..but they aren't anything new.

 

[jimim]

We have been going to WDW several times a year for many years. My signature at the bottom of this post does not reflect the numerous off site stays we have enjoyed.

Just finished our first "pure" FP+ multi day trip.

We are rope droppers that could easily acquire 3 fast passes by lunchtime and probably 2 or three more by dinner time each day under the old system.

The new FP+ system severely limits how many attractions we could enjoy in a day. Once the afternoon crowds built up, it was almost painful to see the long wait times and knew that if wanted to do an attraction, we had to endure it or skip it.

Whereas we used to ride the headliners several times a day, we could now only do some of them once or maybe twice. There was also no incentive to take a mid afternoon break and return at 5 or 6 pm because all the lines we now long for most attractions.

Although we love WDW and the overall atmosphere................it just didn't feel quite the same this time. It is fair to say that we had a little less enjoyment than in the past and a shorter stay would have been extremely disappointing.

The bottom line is that you will need to still arrive early and do your favorites in the morning and then do your FP+ attractions later in the day.

One last thing...............stay away from those new kiosks during the late morning to the afternoon period. The lines were long and/or there we very limited choices for attractions as the day wore on.

We were able to still achieve an overall enjoyment factor of about a 7 or an 8.....................but we are used to experiencing 9's and 10's on most visits.

Since u go so often do you still feel like you got to get on a lot of rides and spend full days in the parks? We go at least 2-3 times per year and some trips we just bounce around and do whatever. We don't even end up in the parks after 1 or 2 anymore. I guess if u are a whole day traveler then yes I would deff rope drop and save fast passes for afternoon time for sure.

Jim

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

On the longer trips (6-8 day) we tend to be a bit more "chilled" than on our 3 or 4 day getaways. On a 4 day trip (really about .5 +1+1+.5) we are more highly motivated to fit in as much as possible.

Yes......we often break away at 1 or 2, especially if it is a hot weather day. But.........we would often snag one last fastpass as we exited the park. it would be for a headliner that would typically be for 5-7 pm or so. This allowed us to take a multi hour break and then return for some atmosphere, maybe a show, and that headliner attraction. Now, if we return at 7pm....... it is only standby baby!

 

[k5thbeatle]

Not to hijack this thread but please clarify this for me; once you use your three fast passes for the day there is no way to get anymore for the day under the current system?

 

[2Tiggies]

Not to hijack this thread but please clarify this for me; once you use your three fast passes for the day there is no way to get anymore for the day under the current system?

Not under the current system, no. There is hope that this may change (speculation based on a recent survey that Disney has been sending out) but right now all we have is hope and a bit of speculation

 

[sethschroeder]

It is fair to say that we had a little less enjoyment than in the past and a shorter stay would have been extremely disappointing.

This actually plays to partly why Disney might see an actual payoff with the new system... If you feel this way and next time decide to stay longer by default they won in the end. Obviously you could choose not to go at all but I would bet most people are more talk than action on a boycott possibly?

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

or.................maybe a family goes on a 3 or 4 day trip for the first time and realizes that they are spending an awful lot of the day in line for the rides and that there are quite a few things they could not fit in and just shrug their shoulders and don't return in the future. Hey...........trip number one with airfare could have easily been a 2500-4000 expense. They may decide to spend their annual vacation budget somewhere else. Or they could decide that their once in a lifetime trip was a bit disappointing.

There needs to be more than 3 per day and park hopping with FP+ needed to be made available.

 

[wallskm]

We are going in late April/Early May and honestly I am not worried. We are rope droppers already and didn't really start needing FP until afternoons anyway with the old system- we always go at that time of year and crowds are pretty good. We have all our fastpasses booked for late afternoon or evening with a few early afternoon ones scattered throughout. We plan to do low popularity attractions or rest in the afternoons.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

When the crowds are low or medium (and the temps are not baking us alive), many people can still get a lot done from rope drop to the afternoon. not as much as before, but still something pretty decent.

My big concern is about some upcoming trips planned for the crowded and super crowded times of the year!

We have a stay at POP in late May and a summer visit (off site) for late July.

That July trip will be a a test of high temp tolerance as well as large crowds and waits.

 

[jdd]

Whereas we used to ride the headliners several times a day, we could now only do some of them once or maybe twice.

Although we love WDW and the overall atmosphere................it just didn't feel quite the same this time.

We were able to still achieve an overall enjoyment factor of about a 7 or an 8.....................but we are used to experiencing 9's and 10's on most visits.

This sums up my feelings exactly after our trip in February. Yes, it's still Disney and still magical and we had a good trip. But....it was better before FP+. We never used to stand in lines over 20 minutes, but there was no choice this time. Not sure if it will keep us from going back, but the trips will definitely change

 

[Tony74]

Heading to DW in a couple of days and I'm in charge of 12 people and all the FPs that come with it.

We have a breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table for 8 and FPs for Peter Pan later in the day. Do you think it is reasonable to knock out Peter Pan and Winnie first thing in the morning and save the FP for TMRR?