BIG change to FP+ today

[AmyB2006]

But, if you're not riding a headliner you would have otherwise ridden, that's a downgrade regardless of how you spin it.

Not if when I used to go I never hit headliner rides. Which is what would happen. We are late risers and get there at noon. Forget TSM, that was never a possibility. TT, Soarin', and the others... if paper FPs were left, we'd take advantage, but you can still do that now.

So with FP+ I can schedule stuff in advance and know that I will be able to do them.

Making the statement that it is a downgrade for everyone (because that is how you feel regarding your own experience) is just as silly as if I were to say it is an upgrade for everyone, because that's how I feel regarding my experience.

But whichever. I know it's great for me and that's really all that matters.

 

[MickeyOCD]

Dies anybody else see this a harkening back to the old days (70's) when you got a ticket book (E ticket, etc) and you used it for whatever level of ride you wanted. Of course you paid for the book, now we're paying an entrance fee & we're getting ride restrictions (at least FP restrictions)

 

[Sheilby]

Sorry - it was coming from my signature...which I've had for a couple of years now... I've removed it.

Thanks for removing it, now I can finally read page 12.

Well, I just changed my FP+ times in Epcot on MDE this morning.(before I saw this thread) and it allowed me with no problems. Though I only changed Test track and Mission space. I kept Soarin the same time. It didn't say anything about the new rules. I hope my FP+ times stay right where they are!!

For now it is only affecting you if you try to book the whole day over.

I really don't care about your mathematics.

You made the statement (I think it was you) "This is a downgrade for everyone". You're assuming that everyone tours that way.

It is not a downgrade for me because your scenario is not how MY family tours Disney. We hardly ever took advantage of FP because it just wasn't something we did.

NOW, we can. We can pre schedule them and show up, and ride. My family was thrilled. We got to ride Soarin', TT, TSM, Splash, BTMR etc this last week. Definitely NOT a downgrade OVERALL, for ME.

So you can try to use all the mathematics you want. It is not a downgrade for everyone.

ETA... Also I am speaking about the FP+ system as a whole. Are you only talking about after October 14th? Because that's now how I read your first statement.

Regardless, I'm happy with even one headliner scheduled vs nothing.

I think the person was saying that the new FP+ has been downgraded for everyone, you used to be able to get 3 headliners at Epcot and now you can't. Since the ones listed in the top tier are the only ones you usually need FP for it is definitely a downgrade from the way FP+ worked for you. They weren't claiming that FP+ was a downgrade overall, just that the new version of FP+ is a downgrade from the version you experienced. Scheduling 1 is better than scheduling none as you say, but scheduling 3 like you got to do is better than scheduling 1 like newer guests have to do. It is indeed a downgrade no matter how you spin it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Dies anybody else see this a harkening back to the old days (70's) when you got a ticket book (E ticket, etc) and you used it for whatever level of ride you wanted. Of course you paid for the book, now we're paying an entrance fee & we're getting ride restrictions (at least FP restrictions)

Yep. That's exactly how I see it. And I think they're hoping you just forget that you are paying all-access pricing and are still willing to ante up some more to add some extra FP options (pure speculation there).

 

[AmyB2006]

True it is better for you because you didn't like to be there until noon but that doesn't mean that Disney didn't take your chance of getting $10 from you.

But you confirm what I'm saying right there!! LOL It is better for me. I get it isn't for everyone. And if they took my "chance" of something I never took advantage of anyway, away... I don't care. I'll gladly give up what I never took advantage of to get something better in return.

Listen.... I really didn't want to argue about this LOL Ok, yes I did, but... Making blanket statements of any kind is never a good idea, because there are always going to be situations where it doesn't apply. Saying it is a downgrade for everyone simply isn't true. That is all I'm sayin'.

 

[BayouMickey]

The unlimited ride passes are more expensive than the "each attraction" once ones which are the prices I quoted.

The FP lines move very quickly at Universal, at least in my experience. I have never been during Holiday seasons so I can't really give any accurate detail on that. They stand outside the entrance and shoot the barcode with a scanner which moves you through pretty quickly. It appears to be a much smoother process than the MB offers. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney takes that approach eventually.

Don't get me wrong. The people in standby still give you dirty looks just like you get at Disney for using FP.

Still even it just being once an attraction, relatively cheap. Only if my family were into anything at universal.. My girls are full blown princesses and Mickey.. maybe when they are older..

 

[doconeill]

Whether it is a "downgrade for everyone" is a matter of definition...it is a downgrade on your *ability* to make selections. Whether you *wanted* to make those selections is another matter. But it can still be said to be a downgrade.

 

[surferdave]

Making blanket statements of any kind is never a good idea, because there are always going to be situations where it doesn't apply.

 

[MichaelaF]

(Am I the only one who thinks that both Soarin and TT are overrated?)

On topic, this is a definite bummer, no matter which rides are included. It won't ruin my trips, but just a bummer if it continues.

 

[lugnut33]

AmyB2006, what if your family wanted to do TT, MS, and Soarin' all in a day with you arriving at noon. Prior to today you could do that. Now you can't. How is that not a downgrade?

And you are not allowed to just say, "I would never ride those two in the same day" because now that option to do those two has been taken away from you. It's gone. No option at all to be able to do that now.

 

[AmyB2006]

I think the person was saying that the new FP+ has been downgraded for everyone, you used to be able to get 3 headliners at Epcot and now you can't.

I think you're right. At first it seemed like they were referring to FP+ as a whole. But whichever.

 

[sharadoc]

I see this maybe as forcing longer trips. You can't just do Epcot in one day if you want to do the headliners, so you would do one longer trip rather than two shorter trips.

It may be that the restriction will result in more "day of" FP+ so you could still possibly do both if you get to the kiosk early enough, just like pulling a FP-.

Overall, I think a lot of these restrictions are coming from the fact that many of "us" have learned how to use every system to our advantage. Somebody at Disney has decided that they need to even the playing field.

 

[robpa]

Still even it just being once an attraction, relatively cheap. Only if my family were into anything at universal.. My girls are full blown princesses and Mickey.. maybe when they are older..

Once they discover the joys of thrill rides they will want to go to Universal

 

[PrettyFlower2]

Sunshine and rainbows. Can't wait for June. This is fabulous.

 

[Groomer Gal]

Have there been any reports yet of Disney changing your choices if you have already made your FP+ choices???
I was going to tweek a few things but now I'm afraid it will change everything.

 

[andyman8]

Sunshine and rainbows. Can't wait for June. This is fabulous.

Blue skies and sunshine guaranteed!

 

[BayouMickey]

Once they discover the joys of thrill rides they will want to go to Universal

My youngest (10) is starting to hint.. this year she wants to do all the mountains.. But I'm not going to push her. my oldest (13) still has no interest.. younger one has been attempting to bribe her on to splash lol.

 

[curemyreed]

Exactly. During the testing periods in 2012, the attractions at all four parks were "tiered" like this.

Adding my thanks to the OP and to Kenny the Pirate for the Heads Up. I sure won't be messing with making any changes to our Soarin and TT FP+s for our November trip...

I can confirm that when we tested FP+ in December, 2012, the attractions were "tiered" like this at MK.

 

[MickeyOCD]

We go for more than thrill rides, we go for the whole experience. And nobody does it like Disney. That being said, I will not wait 2 hrs in a line for a ride, no amount of theming makes that tolerable. And we pay A LOT of $$ to come to Disney, and to be restricted to 1 headliner FP is ridiculous. Don't know how they can justify it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Once they discover the joys of thrill rides they will want to go to Universal

Bingo. I think a lot of the big supporters of this change have younger kids. I want them to talk to me when they have teenagers. My daughter just turned 13 and finally hit the "thrill ride junkie" stage on our last trip. We're doing DLR this year, and plan to ride California Screamin until our heads want to explode!