BIG change to FP+ today

[cmwade77]

I don't know if it will be that way, but that is my feeling. I am thinking that is why the hotel loophole is working. It won't be worth it once this whole system is up an running 100% because you will only get a couple of extra FP for staying value which would cost you about $80(by my hypothetical FP prices) for a family of four which is about the same as paying for the value...what would be the point of booking the hotel then if you don't really want to sleep there.

I agree with a PP who called Epcot a glorified mall. It is not worth the same admission as MK. I also think the same of AK/HS. Those are half day parks and everyone I know who visits the world feels the same. I do think WDW is shooting themselves in the foot. I mean the 3 lesser parks will hold no appeal to us at all if I have to pay for FP or only get 2 and the choices are the way they are showing now. We will always love the MK and take a trip there(would even pay for FP there), but as far as the other 3 they will be replaced with the many other things there are to do in the area.

Well, you can't say everyone you know feels the same way now. I personally love Epcot and AK. HS does need a bit more to do though, but it is fun in abs of its self.

 

[nugov2]

Well, you can't say everyone you know feels the same way now. I personally love Epcot and AK. HS does need a bit more to do though, but it is fun in abs of its self.

I guess I should say everyone I know IRL Not that I think that is the norm, but just saying if it is to the point where you can only ride one of the few big draws at those parks and most people view them as half day parks, you may get a lot more people saying forget it. Lets head to Universal, Sea World or on of the other things there are to do in the area.

 

[Planogirl]

As far as park tickets, dining, and shopping go on and off site guests are equal as far as what they contribute to Disney profits. But WDW doesn't make any hotel profit from guests staying off site. The perk of staying off site is getting a more reasonably priced room or getting an entire house/condo for comparable prices to WDW moderate. Just like ME, EMH, & bus service onsite guests are provided with certain perks to incent them to stay. US/IOA provides a great front of the line perk to onsite guests. There's nothing wrong with WDW doing the same to some degree with FP+.

I can't speak for other offsite visitors but the way things look Disney stands to make NO profit where this family is concerned unless we stay onsite. I have no intention of staying onsite any more than we already do and also no intention of being excluded or paying higher fees for 1 headliner FP+. That whole idea seems bizarre.

I know, I know... A zillion other people will be lined up to take our places.

 

[Planogirl]

I guess I should say everyone I know IRL Not that I think that is the norm, but just saying if it is to the point where you can only ride one of the few big draws at those parks and most people view them as half day parks, you may get a lot more people saying forget it. Lets head to Universal, Sea World or on of the other things there are to do in the area.

There's tons to do in Florida well beyond the themeparks. Disney seems to think that they have a stranglehold and maybe they're right but it certainly doesn't have to stay that way.

 

[Sammie]

I would bet that just as many people are planning as usual. However will they be as eager to plan future trips once they actually experience all of this? We have no way of knowing of course.

Well I know I will. Our Disney trips are very similar to Jade1. We never spend more than 6 ours in a park and rarely that and that might include a meal. Also Disney is just one of our vacations trips each year and we have DVC and know we will be back yearly.

 

[bcrook]

Well I know I will. Our Disney trips are very similar to Jade1. We never spend more than 6 ours in a park and rarely that and that might include a meal. Also Disney is just one of our vacations trips each year and we have DVC and know we will be back yearly.

My two trips this year were like you describe. I wonder if this will nudge more people towards that touring method? Shorter trips with less time in the parks. I will be an empty nester soon, my DVC usage is going to change.

 

[Nancyg56]

I can't speak for other offsite visitors but the way things look Disney stands to make NO profit where this family is concerned unless we stay onsite. I have no intention of staying onsite any more than we already do and also no intention of being excluded or paying higher fees for 1 headliner FP+. That whole idea seems bizarre.

I know, I know... A zillion other people will be lined up to take our places.

I don't think that Disney can afford to dismiss repeat guests who usually stay onsite. I realize that we are not the target market in that for the most part, we have tempered our budget, but honestly there still is money to be made from us. For instance, I know my family does not spend all day every day in the parks, but we never did. We took our DGD there with the intention of returning at least once a year, and many times we returned twice. Our budget fluctuated based on the kind of vacation we wanted. AS the years passed, we started to spend additional money on "extras" because we had already enjoyed the attractions and knew that we did not have to "get it all in" now. Our souvenir budget turned to tours, etc. If our experience had been stressful or if we felt that we were not able to tour the way we wanted to tour, we would not have returned.

I hesitate to pass judgement on this whole new program that Disney is implementing because is not fully in place, but I would guess that for first time guests, if their experience leaves them feeling buyers remorse, there will be fewer return people. In fact, Disney may not target us, becasue we are already hooked, but they do need us.

Onsite or off, guests need to feel valued or they can spend elsewhere. Repeat guests are not just those who flock to the monorail resorts, or purchase DVC, and if those folks are disenfranchised, they will no longer be those tried and true repeat guests who supplement Disney coffers. While I believe that a perk can be offered to entice people to spend a larger amount of vacation money within Disney, I also believe that if Disney develops a "class" structure to the point where offsite guests are penalized, rather than onsite guests rewarded. the program will backfire.

Anyway, I honestly hope it does not come to that.

 

[nkereina]

We felt the same way. Rode our three and moved on. As funny as it sounds, I liked waiting for my next fastpass window to open up so could grab another one. This is how we spent all day in the parks. We would kill time in between enjoying the simple things. But now, all three rides are bunched up, done in two hours and I am ready to go elsewhere. It is a strange shift.

What do you mean by that? Are you able to overlap FP+ times? One of my gripes is that a lot of my FP+ reservations are back to back, which means we have to spend at least three hours in the park so we can use all three. I've booked ours for later in the afternoon, when its more time consuming to ride standby, but I'm concerned that we will be mostly done with the park (or ready to move on) and we will feel as though we will need to kill time in between FP+ times. I would much prefer to overlap them.

Also, I've noticed that if I have an ADR, it allows three hours for it which is overkill. If I have an ADR at 9am and it shows "9am-12pm", does that mean I can't book FP+ until after 12pm? I'll likely be done by 10:30 so I'd prefer to book a FP+ for 10:30 or 11.

 

[kennythepirate]

What do you mean by that? Are you able to overlap FP+ times? One of my gripes is that a lot of my FP+ reservations are back to back, which means we have to spend at least three hours in the park so we can use all three. I've booked ours for later in the afternoon, when its more time consuming to ride standby, but I'm concerned that we will be mostly done with the park (or ready to move on) and we will feel as though we will need to kill time in between FP+ times. I would much prefer to overlap them.

Also, I've noticed that if I have an ADR, it allows three hours for it which is overkill. If I have an ADR at 9am and it shows "9am-12pm", does that mean I can't book FP+ until after 12pm? I'll likely be done by 10:30 so I'd prefer to book a FP+ for 10:30 or 11.

One shouldn't start until the next time frame expires, but anomalies do happen.

 

[bcrook]

What do you mean by that? Are you able to overlap FP+ times? One of my gripes is that a lot of my FP+ reservations are back to back, which means we have to spend at least three hours in the park so we can use all three. I've booked ours for later in the afternoon, when its more time consuming to ride standby, but I'm concerned that we will be mostly done with the park (or ready to move on) and we will feel as though we will need to kill time in between FP+ times. I would much prefer to overlap them.

Also, I've noticed that if I have an ADR, it allows three hours for it which is overkill. If I have an ADR at 9am and it shows "9am-12pm", does that mean I can't book FP+ until after 12pm? I'll likely be done by 10:30 so I'd prefer to book a FP+ for 10:30 or 11.

I had rides stacked up at DHS for 10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00, and 12:00-1:00. Movie ride, TSMM, tower of terror. Got on movie ride at 10:55. Got on TSMM at 11:30. Got on tower of terror at 12:05. All my rides were done in less than 90 minutes. No fastpass left. We just looked at each other like "what now"? We left to go eat at Epcot. With no fastpasses left for the rest of the day.

 

[kennythepirate]

I had rides stacked up at DHS for 10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00, and 12:00-1:00. Movie ride, TSMM, tower of terror. Got on movie ride at 10:55. Got on TSMM at 11:30. Got on tower of terror at 12:05. All my rides were done in less than 90 minutes. No fastpass left. We just looked at each other like "what now"? We left to go eat at Epcot. With no fastpasses left for the rest of the day.

Could have seen some shows or used your paper FP for re-rides

 

[mom2rtk]

Could have seen some shows or used your paper FP for re-rides

Or shopped for some overpriced souvenirs.

Or bought some Mickey bars.

Bcrook, you were not holding up your end of the FP+ deal. You were supposed to hang around and open up your wallet.

 

[amg35]

Or shopped for some overpriced souvenirs.

Or bought some Mickey bars.

Bcrook, you were not holding up your end of the FP+ deal. You were supposed to hang around and open up your wallet.

Or, and just throwing this out there, got in line for another ride at Epcot?

There was nothing left to ride the rest of the day because you used your fast pass by noon? I can promise you not every standby line was huge.

I'm not sure the new fast pass will work for me either, but sometimes these complaints are just silly.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Or, and just throwing this out there, got in line for another ride at Epcot?

And EPCOT has how many "rides"? At that point in the day I am sure Soarin' and TT FP would be gone, leaving hour waits at each. That leaves..Maelstrom, Nemo. Imagination, The Land, SE and MS. I could count the Mexican boat ride, but why?

 

[amg35]

And EPCOT has how many "rides"? At that point in the day I am sure Soarin' and TT FP would be gone, leaving hour waits at each. That leaves..Maelstrom, Nemo. Imagination, The Land, SE and MS. I could count the Mexican boat ride, but why?

Yes, all of those rides. You just described a nice day to me!

And for Test Track, maybe you can ride single rider if you don't want to wait an hour? Or just do the wait for the one ride.

Your day doesn't have to be ruined, is all I'm saying.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Yes, all of those rides. You just described a nice day to me!

And see, there is nothing wrong with that. It all depends on what is important to you.

 

[magicbob]

Or, and just throwing this out there, got in line for another ride at Epcot?

There was nothing left to ride the rest of the day because you used your fast pass by noon? I can promise you not every standby line was huge.

I'm not sure the new fast pass will work for me either, but sometimes these complaints are just silly.

And EPCOT has how many "rides"? At that point in the day I am sure Soarin' and TT FP would be gone, leaving hour waits at each. That leaves..Maelstrom, Nemo. Imagination, The Land, SE and MS. I could count the Mexican boat ride, but why?

Yes, all of those rides. You just described a nice day to me!

And for Test Track, maybe you can ride single rider if you don't want to wait an hour? Or just do the wait for the one ride.

Your day doesn't have to be ruined, is all I'm saying.

I agree that there aren't that many "rides" at EPCOT, but there's lots of stuff to do. Great live shows, the movies at France, China, and Canada (I know... not everyone's cup of tea), the American Adventure, viewing marine life at The Seas, Universe of Energy (I know this one gets a bad rap), and even Captain EO (sorry, I just threw up a little in my mouth as I suggested that last one ).

 

[bcrook]

Or shopped for some overpriced souvenirs.

Or bought some Mickey bars.

Bcrook, you were not holding up your end of the FP+ deal. You were supposed to hang around and open up your wallet.

You got it.

Or, and just throwing this out there, got in line for another ride at Epcot?

There was nothing left to ride the rest of the day because you used your fast pass by noon? I can promise you not every standby line was huge.

I'm not sure the new fast pass will work for me either, but sometimes these complaints are just silly.

You do not understand my point. I know what I am doing at wdw. Without the carrot of another fastpass in two hours, there wasn't the lure to stick around. Re-riding headliners at DHS without fastpasses is silly. I don't mind stopping by the animation studio to kill an hour waiting for my fastpass window to open, but being a repeat customer, I don't need to go there. I really don't need to ride the backlot tour, I have been in the man and his dream enough. The jack sparrow attraction had a 40 minute wait...so that is out.

My point is, the minor rides are good fillers while waiting for headliners. Getting the headliners over in 90 minutes left us with little to look forward to or hang around.

As Kenny said, Epcot is short on attractions.

By the way, I wasn't complaining. I was sharing my experience. It was drastically different with FP+ than with regular fastpass. I enjoyed my evening at Epcot.

I feel like it took DHS from a half day park to a quarter day park

With tiers, it might be a resort day "park".

I definitely didn't spend more money.

 

[amg35]

Well, I'm lucky we don't get to WDW very often, everything is still fun for me, even the non-headliners.

I can see how going a lot it could get boring.

 

[magicbob]

Well, I'm lucky we don't get to WDW very often, everything is still fun for me, even the non-headliners.

I can see how going a lot it could get boring.

Definitely no right or wrong answer where this is concerned. It's all personal preference. I, personally, never tire of seeing all the attractions... even the "tier 3" choices (that's not to say I would want to use a FP+ for them though). On our most recent visit to DLRP, we sat through three back to back Animation Academy sessions and loved it. We weren't just killing time until the next headliner.

I don't think I'd ever get bored of anything at Disney regardless of how frequently we visit. But, like I said... personal preference.

And I have to admit that my wife loves to shop (ok, so do I, but not as much as she does)... so we definitely "hold up our end of the bargain" in spending money when we're not in line.