BIG change to FP+ today

[robpa]

I just wish (and I know I'm dreaming) that Disney would put out some kind of PR saying, "from this date to this date, we will be doing this and the rules are..." and "from this date to this date we will be doing this and the rules are...". That's all, I just want to know what's what when I'm going to be there. If I've played by their rules so far and used their technology and customized MB's and made ADR's and Wishes Dessert Party and Sleigh Ride reservations and FP+ selections then I've done my part. I just wish they would do theirs and let me know what the situation is going to be when my trip arrives. Not really a lot to ask?

I think if they let people know it may skew the #s they are looking for. I think they are trying to keep it as real time as they can. If you knew(not you specifically) that they were going to tier Epcot you may decide not to go or participate until a later time or maybe just skip Epcot all together this trip and that may not give them the hard data they are looking for.

 

[rebbyparker]

True, and it may lessen the profits they receive.

It's just frustrating, when you're a control freak.

 

[robpa]

True, and it may lessen the profits they receive.

It's just frustrating, when you're a control freak.

Yeah I guess it would be

 

[redsbe]

I love the exaggerations thrown around in these threads.

Not everyone can travel during off-peak times. And not everyone can tell the future. I'm pretty sure the people there in mid-October who found most FPs gone by 9:30 at DHS didn't think they were there at peak times.

I'm pretty Disney savvy, and that would have definitely caught me off guard. And while I have zero desire to ride TSMM 4 or 5 times, I would have been rather ticked to find FPs gone by 9:30. And I would have definitely felt cheated from a lot of the value of what I paid for admission that day.

I am certainly not posting any exaggerations as I am not the one stating I would typically use FP- 6-8 times a day and a big part of my enjoyment of WDW is riding the same attraction several times in one day - others have made those posts.

And as many people have explained early to mid October was much busier than usual or expected this year, and may stay that way given more fall school breaks and WDW discounts, plus roll out of testing of FP+ certainly impacted the numbers of FP available.

Would you have felt "cheated from lot of the value" if you arrived at WDW only to find out that your favorite attraction was not open due to problems and that was your only day in that park - a situation which is all too common for many visitors.

I understand many people can not travel during non-peak times, but for the last few decades it has become very clear that visiting during holidays takes some advanced planning, strategies and the expectation that perhaps you will not be able experience the entire park or all attractions - especially without some waiting involved.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

True, and it may lessen the profits they receive.

It's just frustrating, when you're a control freak.

To me, it is riding rationing because I can't simply wake up earlier, send my DH all over the park, and get more fastpasses. People who are still asleep have already booked Soarin'. It's a type-A family's nightmare. It's also ride rationing because I can't get more than one set of fastpasses for the same ride on the same day, even if my compulsive little darlings just want to ride Peter Pan three times and don't care a thing about the mountains.

 

[redsbe]

To me, it is riding rationing because I can't simply wake up earlier, send my DH all over the park, and get more fastpasses. People who are still asleep have already booked Soarin'. It's a type-A family's nightmare. It's also ride rationing because I can't get more than one set of fastpasses for the same ride on the same day, even if my compulsive little darlings just want to ride Peter Pan three times and don't care a thing about the mountains.

Also been very difficult to do for last few decades even with FP- during busy times - get early times for 2 or 3 most popular rides in each park during peak travel times.

 

[redsbe]

Some people just can't travel off peak times -- they're teachers or have other jobs with limited vacation times or their children just can't miss school, especially higher grades.

But, those people in the past were able to talk to a friend who had been to Disney or just use common sense, and know that they should arrive at the parks before they open each morning, have a basic plan, and use as many FP as possible during the day. If they went without any idea of the crowds and lines, they could quickly regroup after their first day and fix their mistakes. It was all within their control.

People booked offsite without knowing about FP+. Locals bought APs, not knowing they'd be shut out of a FP+ system for who knows how long. Onsite guests who didn't understand FP+ prebooking or gave up after technical difficulties (my DH sure would!), can't just easily fix the problem when they arrive, if the headliners are all prebooked. Even onsite guests who prebooked and don't encounter glitches have been unexpectedly forced into a tier system at Epcot, where they previously could get Soarin, TT, and (should they so desire) Maelstrom fastpasses on a busy day by just arriving early. The tier system was obviously an attempt to make things a little less terrible for those who can't prebook FP+. Everyone who is currently booking a trip to Disney really has no idea what the rules will be tomorrow, much less next summer.

Because when you introduce new technologies like MB and FP+ you have to have a beta test, and no matter when that occurs issues will arise causing the confusion and uncertainty many are now experiencing and need for WDW to adjust policies on the fly.

WDW has made a decision and invested heavily in these new systems and will not give up on them as they are determined to create the new park visiting experience, and no one knows - even WDW - what the final system will include regarding FP+ and FP- and when it will become operational.

In the meantime either do not go to WDW, plan on using RD strategy to ride most popular attractions, use FP+ and/or FP- if available to you, change your expectations of being able to ride TSM 3 times in the same day without a line up, and if at possible avoid holiday crowds. I think that is the best and only advice anyone can give to potential WDW visitors for the foreseeable future.

And complain all you want, for whatever help that does.

 

[rebbyparker]

Not that difficult, just takes some planning and younguns' willing to run all over. We don't do 8-10 but have never had problems grabbing 4-6 FPs and we've been during spring break and July. It's just what you're willing to invest. I'm willing to get up at a godforsaken hour, willing to get to where I need to be and go from there. We're not the "laze around in bed until 10 and still expect to ride everything" type of people. We get there, we get done what we want done, we then wander around or head back to the resort and then come back and repeat. We'll see how that plays out in December.

 

[redsbe]

I am assuming you are in park from RD to closing, as with the FP windows and WDW enforcing those windows you would have to be in the park for several hours to get 6 FP in one day, and of course for many rides FP are gone by mid day, plus getting FP mid day or later often results in late rides - again requiring an ALL day park visit. All of which works and is a strategy if your focus for most of the day is securing and using FP to ride the most popular attractions and you and your party can handle pushing through the crowds all day to criss cross the park to get to the next FP. It does work, but not easy nor the best way to experience a park for many parties.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Also been very difficult to do for last few decades even with FP- during busy times - get early times for 2 or 3 most popular rides in each park during peak travel times.

We had no issue getting 5-7 FPs in MK over spring break. None of the mountains ran out of FP early in the day, even though it was spring break. I should also note, it did not take us all day to get to that amount. With disconnected FPs and bonus FPs, I had 3 FPs in hand w/i 10 mins of each other. The rest were collected over the course of the day, with the latest FP probably being around dinner or so? We had the wishes dessert party that night, so our park touring ended an hour before wishes to go to that. Return times weren't overly far out and we didn't have anyone running all over the park to gather FPs either.

 

[rebbyparker]

Not going to debate our touring strategy. It works for us. Probably, as you said, not for everyone. But if the new thread on FP restrictions at Pop starting in November is true, Disney CHANGED things AGAIN!

Yes, I'm having a little hissy. Excuse me.

 

[redsbe]

We had no issue getting 5-7 FPs in MK over spring break. None of the mountains ran out of FP early in the day, even though it was spring break. I should also note, it did not take us all day to get to that amount. With disconnected FPs and bonus FPs, I had 3 FPs in hand w/i 10 mins of each other. The rest were collected over the course of the day, with the latest FP probably being around dinner or so? We had the wishes dessert party that night, so our park touring ended an hour before wishes to go to that. Return times weren't overly far out and we didn't have anyone running all over the park to gather FPs either.

Were disconnected FPs really needed (long standing lines for those attractions) and how did you get bonus FP and for what rides? MK may be less of an issue for historically being able to collect that many FPs even during peak crowds, but same strategy I suspect has been much more difficult for a long time for TSM in DS and TT/Soarin in Epot, during peak crowds way before FP+ arrived. In October 2012 no way we would have been able to collect multiple FP and ride TSM, TT or Soarin even with RD and certainly would have required all day and late park day.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Were disconnected FPs really needed (long standing lines for those attractions) and how did you get bonus FP and for what rides? MK may be less of an issue for historically being able to collect that many FPs even during peak crowds, but same strategy I suspect has been much more difficult for a long time for TSM in DS and TT/Soarin in Epot, during peak crowds way before FP+ arrived. In October 2012 no way we would have been able to collect multiple FP and ride TSM, TT or Soarin even with RD and certainly would have required all day and late park day.

The disconnected FP was the mickey M&G, which was probably 35-40 mins or so when we entered the park. That FP machine distributed a bonus FP for Dumbo (whose SB line was also not walk on length). Then I got a FP for the Princess M&G which was an hour at that point. They aren't the mountains, no, but they are popular.

Throughout the rest of the day we got FPs for Space, BTMRR, Buzz (2x I think)...Splash was under refurb.

I never debated Epcot and DHS as being issues. They absolutely are. I was just responding to the assertion that it was difficult to get so many FPs in *each* park during busy times.

 

[arawynprincess]

I had a time getting our group of 9 in fastpasses all together since we had two different reservation #'s. Disney said they would link them together for me but after 3 people telling me that and it never happened. I took it upon myself. We got everyone close enough to be able to ride together.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I never debated Epcot and DHS as being issues. They absolutely are. I was just responding to the assertion that it was difficult to get so many FPs in *each* park during busy times.

Yes, it's MK where the three FP+ limit is very restrictive any time of year. Especially for people who plan an all-day visit, sometimes because they are only budgeting for one day's ticket. I know, WDW doesn't want to encourage those kinds of travelers.

 

[redsbe]

The disconnected FP was the mickey M&G, which was probably 35-40 mins or so when we entered the park. That FP machine distributed a bonus FP for Dumbo (whose SB line was also not walk on length). Then I got a FP for the Princess M&G which was an hour at that point. They aren't the mountains, no, but they are popular.

Throughout the rest of the day we got FPs for Space, BTMRR, Buzz (2x I think)...Splash was under refurb.

I never debated Epcot and DHS as being issues. They absolutely are. I was just responding to the assertion that it was difficult to get so many FPs in *each* park during busy times.

Well you really can't count or expect the bonus FP and yes disconnected FP can help in pulling FP, and sorry my mistake as I was thinking of top rides and ability to pull that many FP for the main attractions during heavy crowds, which seems unlikely even staying in park all day.

In October 2012, during moderate crowds FP- for major rides were either gone by mid day or late times, which is not helpful unless you are planning full day in MK or return in evening to MK. Pulling multiple FP- for the three mountains in MK hard to do during peak crowds.

 

[robpa]

Not going to debate our touring strategy. It works for us. Probably, as you said, not for everyone. But if the new thread on FP restrictions at Pop starting in November is true, Disney CHANGED things AGAIN!

Yes, I'm having a little hissy. Excuse me.

Just checking the board again and I haven't been in that thread yet. Was told to leave a feel good thread(whatever) You can count on Disney to keep the discussion heated around here

 

[rebbyparker]

Awww...you can get on any board you like. Granted, there ARE some snarky posters who, if you don't agree with their hearts and flowers Disney, will be very rude, but I recently discovered the ignore button, so I'm good. C'mon over and join in!

 

[Feralpeg]

I wouldn't jump on the 'big change' bandwagon just yet. It could be a glitch. Anything is possible though.

What day was that for?

ETA... Interesting, and it seems to be only doing that to the Epcot choices. For MK, AK and Studios you can still pick from 3 FP+ for any ride.

It's not a glitch. I was told this would be happening a week ago by a CM.

 

[wisblue]

Awww...you can get on any board you like. Granted, there ARE some snarky posters who, if you don't agree with their hearts and flowers Disney, will be very rude, but I recently discovered the ignore button, so I'm good. C'mon over and join in!

If you want to be totally honest, some of the "sky is falling" posters are pretty snarky too.