Can't do that with a paper FP

[mikejuliestl]

FP+ is the best most awesome system ever!!!! And by best most awesome system ever I mean its awful, really really awful.

3 WHOLE fastpasses a day?!?! Well color me excited.

1 of those fastpasses can be for a "PRIME" ride (to include Maelstom!!) the other two or for lesser rides...

Locking myself in to a single park in a single day.

Locking my times against my ADRs a month in advance.

Getting to wait 20 + minutes in the FASTPASS line, for the opportunity to get in the actual Fastpass line. (albeit during a "9" day, although we never had to wait in a fastpass bottleneck during other "9" or "10" days before).

In short, not a fan.

 

[seashoreCM]

Back in the prehistoric days it was possible for a CM to issue a (paper)fastpass to something else if the ride your (paper) FP was for was out of service and it was late in the evening. You told the CM what ride you wanted to go on as an alternate choice (or he left it blank and you wrote in the ride).

 

[g-dad66]

Wow!!!!!! There are a couple of Grade A, rude, nasty people in here today.

How did you know I was here? I haven't even posted anything on this thread.



Seriously, I don't see any rude or nasty postings here, but I do see some strong differences of opinion. And I take no offense to anyone who strongly disagrees with this opinion.

 

[Planogirl]

How did you know I was here? I haven't even posted anything on this thread.



Seriously, I don't see any rude or nasty postings here, but I do see some strong differences of opinion. And I take no offense to anyone who strongly disagrees with this opinion.

Actually I strongly agree.

People can be really sensitive sometimes.

 

[g-dad66]

Actually I strongly agree.

Thanks.

People can be really sensitive sometimes.

It's hard to distinguish someone's "tone" just by reading words. But the more you get to know specific DisBoard posters, the more you can guess what their tone is.

We got to meet a prominent DisBoard poster on our last trip. In fact, I believe he has posted on this very thread.

It's funny. Usually you meet people first and then get to know them. But with a message Board, you can get to know someone first and then maybe meet them.

But I digress.

Back to disagreeing about FP+?

 

[mesaboy2]

Seriously, I don't see any rude or nasty postings here, but I do see some strong differences of opinion. And I take no offense to anyone who strongly disagrees with this opinion.

Actually I strongly agree.

People can be really sensitive sometimes.

MouseMomx2 has proven herself to be a strong and reasonable proponent of FP+. I am the opposite. She generally makes great points in favor of FP+. I totally get how people can like and even love FP+ depending on their touring style, comfort with scheduling attractions months in advance, or lack of desire for more than 3 FP per day. I'm sure she's a nice person and we'd get along fine if we were to ever meet in real life. Fact is, I enjoy a good debate and I've always thought the concept of FP+ is at least interesting if not my cup of tea.

That said, the portion of her post I quoted isn't just a difference of opinion--it is just plain wrong. I think if she reread it, she'd come to the same conclusion.

 

[arielmomma]

Thank you for the positive post. I used FP+ a couple of weeks ago and found both good and bad things about it. I did like that we could change our times around. That is a positive feature.

At this point, they are nowhere near being done testing the system, at least according to several different castmembers anyway. We have no idea what it will be like when it is said and done. It is nice to hear about some positive experiences.

And for those who are so blatantly upset by all of it, I still used plenty of paper fastpasses. Bask in the ability to double dip while you can. I only waited for 1 ride the whole trip. It was glorious!

 

[wisblue]

MouseMomx2 has proven herself to be a strong and reasonable proponent of FP+. I am the opposite. She generally makes great points in favor of FP+. I totally get how people can like and even love FP+ depending on their touring style, comfort with scheduling attractions months in advance, or lack of desire for more than 3 FP per day. I'm sure she's a nice person and we'd get along fine if we were to ever meet in real life. Fact is, I enjoy a good debate and I've always thought the concept of FP+ is at least interesting if not my cup of tea.

That said, the portion of her post I quoted isn't just a difference of opinion--it is just plain wrong. I think if she reread it, she'd come to the same conclusion.

If we're trying to be factual, the throwaway line about scheduling attractions months in advance is not at all what the situation is now.

Because this is still in testing, and the details of the final program are unknown, we don't know how things may be in the future. But, right now, FP+ reservations have been available for every attraction in every park that offers them as late as the day before and, in many cases, on the same day, even when FP- is no longer available in the park.

For example, 2 minutes ago (9:35 AM), I was able to go to the MDE website and make FP+ reservations for Soarin (if I chose Epcot) or TSMM (if I chose DHS) with the usual 4 options, suggesting that I would have had some significant flexibility in changing times if I had proceeded to make the reservations (which I didn't because I'm not at the park).

Maybe these things will change as more people are given access to FP+ and more people learn how to use them. But I think it is helpful for people trying to plan trips in the near future to understand that, for the time being, there is no reason to think that they are going to be frozen out of FP+ reservations for their favorite attractions if they don't act at midnight when their 60 day window opens up.

 

[mesaboy2]

I've lost count of how many times I've read posters say how nice it was to have TSM, Soarin', or Space all set up for their trip x weeks from now. That ain't my thang, and that's all that was meant by that phrase.

 

[wisblue]

FP+ is the best most awesome system ever!!!! And by best most awesome system ever I mean its awful, really really awful.

3 WHOLE fastpasses a day?!?! Well color me excited.

1 of those fastpasses can be for a "PRIME" ride (to include Maelstom!!) the other two or for lesser rides...

Locking myself in to a single park in a single day.

Locking my times against my ADRs a month in advance.

Getting to wait 20 + minutes in the FASTPASS line, for the opportunity to get in the actual Fastpass line. (albeit during a "9" day, although we never had to wait in a fastpass bottleneck during other "9" or "10" days before).

In short, not a fan.

A backlog to get into the FP+ line has been more the norm than the exception for us at TSMM during busy times (usually the Easter season) before FP+.

More often than not, there has been a line outside the building to show the ticket to the CM, and then we had to work through the short line past the glasses distribution bins before reaching the merge point. Then we had to merge with the standby line and wait another 10 minutes or so to be boarded as we worked up the stairs and around the corner and back down the stairs to the boarding area.

If you are saying it took 20 minutes to even reach the first touch point, that would be unusual. If you are saying it took you 20 minutes to board, that would not be unusual in our experience.

Similar things happen at other attractions, especially Soarin. At other attractions, the wait is usually inside (where the second touch point will be). We have always said to ourselves that the service is Fast(er than Standby) Pass, not Instantboard Pass.

I will be interested to see at Christmas if the FP lines are noticeably longer than we are used to when we use our FP+ reservations. Between now and then I am glad to have my 15 FP+ reservations to use on 5 busy evenings for attractions for which there would be no FP- left and long standby lines when we would usually arrive at the park (after being at a different park at RD.)

 

[mesaboy2]

I've noticed what seem to be longer FP lines ever since FP enforcement began in March 2012. However, that may be more due to the commonly-held belief that the raw number of FPs distributed increased at that same time.

 

[wisblue]

I've lost count of how many times I've read posters say how nice it was to have TSM, Soarin', or Space all set up for their trip x weeks from now. That ain't my thang, and that's all that was meant by that phrase.

If you don't like to have them weeks in advance, you can still (at least for now) get them the day before, or probably the morning of, when you decide what park you are going to.

For a lot of people, like us, it isn't their thing to spend a lot of their day running around the park gathering FPs, wondering if the return times when they get there will fit their schedules. That's why this is a debate.

 

[mesaboy2]

If you don't like to have them weeks in advance, you can still (for now) get them the day before, or probably the morning of, when you decide what park you are going to. For a lot of people, like us, it isn't their thing to spend a lot of their day running around the park gathering FPs, wondering if the return times when they get there will fit their schedules. That's why this is a debate.

Agreed. I think that's kinda what I said.

 

[g-dad66]

I've noticed what seem to be longer FP lines ever since FP enforcement began in March 2012. However, that may be more due to the commonly-held belief that the raw number of FPs distributed increased at that same time.

Hmmm... our experience has been the opposite. Even this most recent trip, it seemed like we walked right through an almost empty FP lane and got right on the ride every time. (Admittedly, the week before Thanksgiving week is not your typical WDW crowds. And it's also possible that I am delusional. )

Maybe it's time for some more votes to this old poll?
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2912572

 

[mesaboy2]

Hmmm... our experience has been the opposite. Even this most recent trip, it seemed like we walked right through an almost empty FP lane and got right on the ride every time. (Admittedly, the week before Thanksgiving week is not your typical WDW crowds. And it's also possible that I am delusional. ) Maybe it's time for some more votes to this old poll? http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2912572

The increased lines I've noticed have been just to enter the FP queue, not so much after that point. Since all any of us have to go on are our own experiences and our perceptions of them, it's hard to determine if any of us are right.

 

[rebbyparker]

Mr. Sulu, raise the nonsense shields! How are you not totally screwed with FP+ also if the ride is down the rest of the day?

-----------------

"I'm sorry ma'am, the ride's down for the rest of the day."

"But I have FastPass Plus!"

"You're right ma'am, what was I thinking? Good thing you have the Plus, those standby and people with regular FP are just out of luck, but you can go right on in. Hey Norm! Fire up the ride for these folks here please!"

 

[Tamiami]

Wow!!!!!! There are a couple of Grade A, rude, nasty people in here today.

I agree. I just read through this thread, and honestly all I could keep saying to myself was, "wow". Sometimes the rude way people respond certainly makes you think twice about even posting. Sad.

And as for POTC not needing a fp? I disagree. I read this outloud to my DD19, and she laughed and said, "I seem to remember staring at the walls of that 'dungeon' (the winding queue, lol) for FOREVER on more than one occasion". And yes, we go at busy times, and I can vouch for the fact that we have waited in line for POTC for at least an hour before, even though we are RD type people, and no doubt were there early. It's one of our favorites (rides, not lines, lol), so we just bucked up and waited. Having a fp+ for our next trip makes us very happy.

 

[sonofanarchy]

I agree. I just read through this thread, and honestly all I could keep saying to myself was, "wow". Sometimes the rude way people respond certainly makes you think twice about even posting. Sad.

And as for POTC not needing a fp? I disagree. I read this outloud to my DD19, and she laughed and said, "I seem to remember staring at the walls of that 'dungeon' (the winding queue, lol) for FOREVER on more than one occasion". And yes, we go at busy times, and I can vouch for the fact that we have waited in line for POTC for at least an hour before, even though we are RD type people, and no doubt were there early. It's one of our favorites (rides, not lines, lol), so we just bucked up and waited. Having a fp+ for our next trip makes us very happy.

What does having FP+ have to do with it? You could ride Pirates using FP legacy if it were available. Then you could go on the ride and not be limited to just 2 more FP for the rest of the day.

 

[Tamiami]

What does having FP+ have to do with it? You could ride Pirates using FP legacy if it were available. Then you could go on the ride and not be limited to just 2 more FP for the rest of the day.

I believe the argument was that fp's of any kind were not necessary for POTC..... I was just saying that in our experience, they have been if you don't want a long wait.

 

[Planogirl]

We've been fortunate when it comes to POTC. We usually go in August which is fairly busy but nowhere as bad as it can get of course. POTC is one of our go-to rides when the park gets busy and usually the wait isn't bad. I wouldn't call it a walk-on but the line is certainly way shorter than the mountains.

I guess that this is my long way of saying that our experience with POTC is somewhere in the middle.