Both FP+ and FP machines in November??

[staceymay00]

We will be at BWV for four nights in November, then have a couple more nights booked at AoA. Last week I linked our APs (the green plastic RFID PAPs that we converted to in April) to my MDE account. Yesterday I noticed FP+ reservations were now available to be booked for our trip, so I took care of that and will customize Magic Bands this weekend. Surprisingly, everything has worked well so for for my account...knock on wood.

I believe that once FP+ is completely unrolled, there will no longer be the traditional FP machines. Is that correct? So everyone will be limited to 3 FPs per person per day, and no duplicate attractions? Should I expect that in November we will likely be able to get traditional FPs in addition to the FP+ reservations? While I see some positives with FP+ (i.e. planning an afternoon arrival at EP and being able to reserve Soarin' FPs for that timeframe), I think overall the new system is going to reduce the attractions we experience without waiting wait in long lines. We have gotten pretty good at efficiently using the existing FP system. Oh well, it is what it is and we will make the best of whatever system they have, but I'm wondering if we'll get one more trip in November to benefit from the old system as well as try FP+.

One other question...there is a chance I will switch our AoA nights (end of our trip) offsite to save money. It only effects one park day, but will we lose the ability to use FP+/Magic Bands if we cancel our AoA nights?

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[tjkraz]

The endgame is for the paper FP machines to be completely removed.

It's doubtful that will happen by November even if the MagicBands are in use at all Disney hotels. However, if you are using MagicBands for your park admission, room key, charging, etc., you won't actually have anything to put INTO those old FP machines.

Chances are park guests NOT staying at Disney hotels will still be on paper tickets using the machines. But again, you won't have any ticket media.

I understand there are some workarounds available today to still get paper FPs even with MagicBands. It remains to be seen if those loopholes will remain open when occupants of 30,000 hotel rooms are using FP+.

 

[dizfan]

When we were there a couple weeks ago, they supplied room cards to us despite us having MagicBands. I never tried the room card for FPs. We did have to use the too card for a few things because the MB did not work for everything. On a couple occasions we used our AP plastic card to get FP despite having booked FP+ for later in the day.

 

[tjkraz]

When we were there a couple weeks ago, they supplied room cards to us despite us having MagicBands. I never tried the room card for FPs. We did have to use the too card for a few things because the MB did not work for everything. On a couple occasions we used our AP plastic card to get FP despite having booked FP+ for later in the day.

That redundancy makes sense while in a bug-fixing test phase. But it sure sounds like Disney plans on going live 11/1, with pretty much every incoming guest being presented with FP+ and Magic Band selection options.

Not sure that Disney will continue passing out plastic KTTW cards to occupants of 30K hotel rooms after they all go live. And I would also question whether the FP system could withstand such overlap of FP+ and paper FPs after such a massive roll-out. It's one thing to have a couple thousand people doubling-up while staying at the designated testing resorts. Quite different when it's 100,000+ Disney hotel guests.

Looking past the immediate uncertainties, the paper machines are certainly going away and guests will be limited to however many FP+ selections are offered.

 

[JenSop]

As to the issue of wanting to do a ride twice with Fastpass+.

This past week, I was told by a CM that after you choose your THREE attractions, you can go in and change one of them over.

So for example, let's say you choose Soarin, Test Track, and Maelstrom.

Once you book those, you can choose to go in and switch Maelstrom to another Soarin. That kind of thing. Didn't have the occasion to try it last week, but will try it for my November trip.

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

As to the issue of wanting to do a ride twice with Fastpass+. This past week, I was told by a CM that after you choose your THREE attractions, you can go in and change one of them over. So for example, let's say you choose Soarin, Test Track, and Maelstrom. Once you book those, you can choose to go in and switch Maelstrom to another Soarin. That kind of thing. Didn't have the occasion to try it last week, but will try it for my November trip.

Has anyone successfully done this? We have FP+ reservations at DHS and it made me sign up for 3, although in truth I only wanted 1 or 2 if we could rise TSM twice. I thought I tried to edit the other FP+ reservations, but maybe I didn't.

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

Ok... I just tried to edit the 2 other FP+ selections to TSM and it did not give that to me as an option. I'm kind of disappointed b/c I have to admit we now hold 2 FP+ times for popular rides but in truth we will not likely use them b/c my kids don't like anything except TSM at DHS so we'll ride that and leave most likely.

 

[SSDonut]

Question: You have paper ticket media from Undercover Tourist which you load into MDE, so then it appears on your MB--can't you just take that same paper ticket and use it for the existing FP machines?

We are one of "those" families who like the existing FP system--we send DH running around to get FPs, and we ride the rides we like several times a day--we don't think it's at all weird to enjoy riding E Everest 4 times in a row, for example, using standby line and FP as necessary.

But, clearly FP+ is the wave of the future, so we're trying to be enthusiastic about the change, although for us it will probably make our ride experiences less than what they were.

It would be fun, for this one last time in late November, to be able to do Both!

 

[edith76]

If you enter the park with your magic band - your green pap will not work in the fp machines. The machine knows what you used to enter the park.

Your magic bands and fp+ will still work if you move offsite. You may have trouble with free parking with the green pap though - just carry both with you.

 

[staceymay00]

Thank you, everyone, for the input. Um, yes, minor detail that we will not have tickets to use in the FP machines even if they are still in operation. I think what made me think we might be able to use both is having read abut people doing this through a loophole, and I agree that WDW will probably fix those loopholes if they have not already.

I tried switching a FP attraction to one we had already selected and it did not let me get a FP for the same attraction more than once. One thing I am curious about with this new system is what availability will be like in the days leading up to a visit. Will some attractions run out of FPs two months in advance, or will we be able to change our plans the week before a trip and still get FPs for a very popular attraction. Time will tell...

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[AThrillingChase]

I am also going in Nov and fp+ just appeared for me today. However, it shows for all 3 resorts! I cant imagine all my resorts are testing? But hey, maybe.

Anyways, assuming they are testing still, if I enter the park with my card AP...would I then be able to use it for FP and also use the band for my FP+? I hop a lot so that is why I ask

 

[auralia]

As of right now because I am using military tickets they can't be linked even so I really hope old fast passes are not going away nov 1 because I can't even link a ticket until I am in disney even though I have the vouchers for exchange already purchased.

 

[edith76]

I think if you have fp+ you will not be able to use your paper pass at all that day. Yesterday when I showed my pass for parking (clearly marked with exp. date) she ran it and told me it was expired. Then I held up my band and she let us park. Another day when I had no fp+ we used the pap and it was fine.
Weve had our magic bands since the beginning of Sept. and had every problem with them you can have....so if you have other questions just ask. We rarely get fast passes for anything because we are here so often but what I hate is even if you try to only get 1 fp+ it gives you 3 and you can't delete them. Hate the thought that I am taking a spot I won't use that someone else might want. And in the case of Wishes - it gave me Wishes plus 3 more. Definitely a work in progress.

 

[zavandor]

The endgame is for the paper FP machines to be completely removed.

This was the plan, but maybe they are rethinking it.
Accordingly to this article:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/10484/The_Next_Generation_Initiative_Revisited

a CM working on the MB and FP+ said:

The premise is that we can take some percentage of the FastPasses available in the parks and turn them over to the vacation planners, to be used as a perk for pre-planning one's stay (and/or for staying on property). The goal is to minimize the impact of doing that to the already successful, current program. In the end, one will still be able to walk into a park and get FastPasses, just like we can today. The FastPass is not a reservation. It does not hold up other guests or contribute to attraction loading unless it is used. The new "system" allows us to dynamically modify an attraction's loading pattern, right up to the last second. This will take some getting used to (for us) but it in no way means that we want to change the rules."

By the way, we don't expect pre-arranged FastPasses to be a major item. Studies have shown us that the majority of our guests don't want to pre-plan their vacations to that level

It looks like they have listened people saying that planning to the point of deciding which attraction to ride 2 months in advance is too much.
That's the first time i read someone @Disney saying that the regular FP machines are going to stay and that FP+ might be a perk only for on site guests.

Still it's not sure if we'll be able to use both at the same time. Having both during my stay last two weeks was absolutely WONDERFUL.

If you enter the park with your magic band - your green pap will not work in the fp machines. The machine knows what you used to enter the park.

I used both FP+ and FP, I used the KTTW for the regular FP machines and Magic Band for FP+.
At check in ask for the KTTW, there is one place where the magic band won't work: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. To start a new game, the CM needs a KTTW or a ticket (or media) used to enter the park. The MB didn't work for me.

 

[AThrillingChase]

...

I used both FP+ and FP, I used the KTTW for the regular FP machines and Magic Band for FP+.
At check in ask for the KTTW, there is one place where the magic band won't work: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. To start a new game, the CM needs a KTTW or a ticket (or media) used to enter the park. The MB didn't work for me.

I was wondering this, because I have heard people say the MB works even before you check in. I have an RFID AP so maybe I will just use that to enter the park then.

 

[tjkraz]

It looks like they have listened people saying that planning to the point of deciding which attraction to ride 2 months in advance is too much.
That's the first time i read someone @Disney saying that the regular FP machines are going to stay and that FP+ might be a perk only for on site guests.

I don't see anything in that quote which implies the paper FP machines will be staying. There's just no reason to duplicate the tech when the electronic system can accomplish the same goals. Part of Disney's endgame is to get rid of those mechanical machines, eliminate the associated operating costs and reclaim the space they currently occupy.

The entire electronic system is designed to allow for same-day FastPasses. People who don't want to plan can use their smartphones or laptops to book ride times before they leave their hotel, while riding a bus, or while walking through the park. Or they can visit one of the computer terminals installed at the parks.

When you ponder the tens-of-thousands of paper FPs distributed each day, there was never any belief that pre-planners would gobble up all of the available ride times before the operating day even begins. Particularly when limited to just 3 selections per day. There will be plenty of capacity for same-day ride reservations.

IMO, the only real unknown is whether Disney veers off of the 3 / day limit. There are many options they COULD pursue (giving Disney hotel guests more than 3, raising the overall limit for everyone, allowing people to get more ride times once in the park, etc.) They've toyed with raising the limit to 4 per day. We'll have to wait and see what happens when all the dust settles.

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

I think if you have fp+ you will not be able to use your paper pass at all that day. Yesterday when I showed my pass for parking (clearly marked with exp. date) she ran it and told me it was expired. Then I held up my band and she let us park. Another day when I had no fp+ we used the pap and it was fine. Weve had our magic bands since the beginning of Sept. and had every problem with them you can have....so if you have other questions just ask. We rarely get fast passes for anything because we are here so often but what I hate is even if you try to only get 1 fp+ it gives you 3 and you can't delete them. Hate the thought that I am taking a spot I won't use that someone else might want. And in the case of Wishes - it gave me Wishes plus 3 more. Definitely a work in progress.

Agree.... I am holding 2 FP+ for a party of 5 and I am certain we will not use them. The system wouldn't let me just pick 1- I had t pick three.

 

[edith76]

System does have some bugs to be worked out. I don't get the reasoning for making you take three fps. Just makes things more complicated than they need to be.

As for using both the magic band for fp+ and your rfid green pass for a fp - if you go into the park with the magic band and try to use your pass for a fp at a kiosk - it prints out a ticket that says your card was not used for admission. So no fp. There is a cast member there who may help you but its one or the other.

 

[cseca]

... As for using both the magic band for fp+ and your rfid green pass for a fp - if you go into the park with the magic band and try to use your pass for a fp at a kiosk - it prints out a ticket that says your card was not used for admission. So no fp. There is a cast member there who may help you but its one or the other.

I have read reports who said that their KTTW card works to pull FP- in addition to their MB.

Not sure if they are talking specifically for MYW tix holders and not AP holders, or the other way around.
But if you browse in the theme park strategy board there are reports of "double dipping".

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I have read reports who said that their KTTW card works to pull FP- in addition to their MB.

Not sure if they are talking specifically for MYW tix holders and not AP holders, or the other way around.
But if you browse in the theme park strategy board there are reports of "double dipping".

We are at the airport leaving now. We used fast pass plus on our magic bands, and also were able to get two additional paper fast passes using both our room keys and our green annual pass tickets that we had linked to our magic bands. It was pretty awesome. We essentially triple dipped.