Cant schedule FP for March 16

[Angel Ariel]

Yes, you likely did. I failed to scroll up to confirm, but pretty much assumed anyway.

Yeah, people do forget. I am not sure that Disney sending constant email reminders is the answer, though. Maybe an opt in instead of an opt out? Just seems a little bit much to believe Disney has to remind adults every step of the process. But if it is something you need or desire, clicking a box to say--yes, please remind me, might do the trick when you are setting things up and linking tickets in MDE.

I don't know...the reminders Disney sent me were helpful. I don't understand why they can't do that level of communication with everyone. I didn't need to be reminded every step of the process, but it helped. It's easy to lose track of what day it is sometimes. Honestly I have no idea how it's Feb. 14th already...it feels like we just got home from spending Superbowl weekend with the ILs. DD and I have a very busy schedule during the week, and things do get lost in the shuffle, no matter how organized I am about it sometimes. I can't imagine I'm the only one that happens to

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

This happened with the paper FP as well. Quite frankly it baffled me because it was listed on every park map. Rides were indicated and there was a blurb about what it was.

 

[Madame]

IMO, if I hadn't researched WDW, I would've assumed it was like any other theme park where you just show up and buy a ticket. I would also assume there are a lot of people who have this same preconception and then arrive at WDW and are blown away by the whole experience.

I could totally see that happening. I was like what do they mean we have to take busses everywhere?!? I was thinking Cedar Point lol! It was my only frame of reference!

 

[cakebaker]

IMO, if I hadn't researched WDW, I would've assumed it was like any other theme park where you just show up and buy a ticket. I would also assume there are a lot of people who have this same preconception and then arrive at WDW and are blown away by the whole experience.

But that's not how it is at many other theme parks. It certainly isn't at Universal.

And the key here is "if I hadn't researched". As I said, I can't imagine spending thousands of dollars on a vacation and not at least give a cursory look at the website of the place I was going.

 

[ekatiel]

We have a split stay, and we've definitely gotten different amounts of info with each stay. The fist stay is for a conference, so booked on a convention rate at the GF. The second is a ticketless package at POP. We have gotten more communication about the ticketless package than the conference stay, although we have NOT gotten a dumbo magnet for either stay. I am ALL FOR ONE DATE where you book your FP+ and ADRS at the same time. A decent hour to do so (you know, one where people in most parts of the US are actually AWAKE) would be helpful. So far, I've gotten up at 5am (CST) to book ADRs 180 days out, stayed up until 11pm (CST) to book FP+ at 60 days out, and now I get the privilege of getting up AGAIN at 5am (CST) to book a BOG lunch ADR on February 25th. Fun times.

 

[Cormoran]

I could totally see that happening. I was like what do they mean we have to take busses everywhere?!? I was thinking Cedar Point lol! It was my only frame of reference!

I feel sorry for people who just show up and assume it's just like Cedar Point, Six Flags, or even Universal. Virtually no planning required for any of these parks. Can you imagine walking into MK and trying to figure out FP plus?

 

[SmithSmith]

My post was confusing...let me word it better.

Friend #1 - traveled with DH and I on our trip in November 2014. She stayed at Coronado Springs while we stayed at Yacht Club. I made her reservations over the phone with Disney directly(using her name, her contact information, her CC, everything...I was "her" on the phone with Disney, not me). She had a separate MDE account as well. She did not receive a magnet, and had very limited e-mail contact from Disney regarding FP+.

Friend #2 - traveled a week after DH and I. She used a travel agent to book her hotel only. They stayed at POFQ. The TA had nothing to do with her tickets at all (which is what FP+ is tied to). Her tickets, like ours, were AFS tickets that she purchased herself on base and linked herself to MDE. We actually bought our tx at the same place and linked them on MDE around the same time as well. She also did not receive a magnet, and also had limited communication from Disney (she also had her own MDE account, did Magic Bands there, I logged into it to book her FP+ for her, etc).

Friend #2, as I said, is the one who used a travel agent, but the TA did not book her entire vacation. I have never worked with a TA before, so I don't know what reasonable expectations are of them. I would be inclined to think, though, that since the TA had nothing to do with her tickets, which is what FP is tied to, that the TA would not have been responsible for updating my friend on anything relating to the tickets - including FP+.

ETA: I don't *know* why Disney contacted us more than either of my friends, or why they contacted us more than others here on the DIS have been contacted, but they did...so that leaves me in a place where I would not be so sure that every onsite guest is receiving "hit you over the head" levels of communication regarding FP+.

Hi Angel, How did this work? If you were "her", then whose email address did you use?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Hi Angel, How did this work? If you were "her", then whose email address did you use?

For what? I'm confused as to what you're asking...

We had separate MDE accounts - she used her e-mail address for her MDE account, DH and I used my e-mail account for ours (we only have 1 MDE account for us).

I booked her hotel on the phone (on a completely separate phone call, and phone number, from when we booked ours). When asked for name/contact information, I gave her name and all of her contact info, including her e-mail address. She provided me with all the necessary billing information prior to me making the call. For all intents and purposes, I just pretended to be her on the phone.

Does that answer your question?

(For anyone wondering why I did this, she was having technical problems with her phone at the time. She asked me to help out, I said I'd take care of it ).

 

[Angel Ariel]

But that's not how it is at many other theme parks. It certainly isn't at Universal.

We just showed up to Universal and bought tickets in 2013 .

I'm really not exaggerating about that either. We arrived in FL late on a Tuesday night. We had a family photo shoot with DD the next morning, and then DH, DD, my parents and I went to IOA for the afternoon. All we were interested in was WWoHP. We arrived at Universal, bought tickets at the gate (military discount tx, DH was free IIRC), went straight back to WWoHP, spent as long in the park as we could then returned to our hotel (SoG for that trip). We left around dinner time, I think? No research done at all, despite there being research done for the rest of the trip in which we were going to WDW. In general, we are a family that does do preplanning for vacations - not tons, but enough to do ADRs, parks/day..that kind of preplanning. And yet when it came to Universal, we did none of that at all, and had a great time.

Would I do that if we were planning on more time at Universal? No...especially not now that Diagon Alley is open as well. Having to go to 2 parks to experience WWoHP would require more planning than we did last time. But I know many people IRL who plan for vacations a lot less than we do, so considering we went to Universal and did no preplanning,I can absolutely see how others would do so as well.

 

[cakebaker]

I didn't mean you couldn't physically show up at Universal and buy tickets. I meant that if you did , you'd be in the same boat as someone at WDW. But quite honestly , I find this whole idea that Disney isn't doing enough to inform and make sure people do their homework absurd. It's not hard to find all you need to know. If you don't bother to check the details of your own vacation - you have no one to blame but yourself.

 

[Planogirl]

I've seen plenty of posts stating that legacy fastpasses were too confusing to the casual visitor. I guess that I always saw them as easy so that puzzles me.

People just show up at places sometimes. You see it everywhere. I'm not saying that this is the correct thing to do but many people use their local Six Flags as an indicator of what to expect at the actual Disney park. Big mistake.

 

[SmithSmith]

For what? I'm confused as to what you're asking...

We had separate MDE accounts - she used her e-mail address for her MDE account, DH and I used my e-mail account for ours (we only have 1 MDE account for us).

I booked her hotel on the phone (on a completely separate phone call, and phone number, from when we booked ours). When asked for name/contact information, I gave her name and all of her contact info, including her e-mail address. She provided me with all the necessary billing information prior to me making the call. For all intents and purposes, I just pretended to be her on the phone.

Does that answer your question?

(For anyone wondering why I did this, she was having technical problems with her phone at the time. She asked me to help out, I said I'd take care of it ).

Yes, you answered my question. Second question: If she received everything via her personal email/home address then how do you know she received less information than you did?

 

[SmithSmith]

We just showed up to Universal and bought tickets in 2013 .

I'm really not exaggerating about that either. We arrived in FL late on a Tuesday night. We had a family photo shoot with DD the next morning, and then DH, DD, my parents and I went to IOA for the afternoon. All we were interested in was WWoHP. We arrived at Universal, bought tickets at the gate (military discount tx, DH was free IIRC), went straight back to WWoHP, spent as long in the park as we could then returned to our hotel (SoG for that trip). We left around dinner time, I think? No research done at all, despite there being research done for the rest of the trip in which we were going to WDW. In general, we are a family that does do preplanning for vacations - not tons, but enough to do ADRs, parks/day..that kind of preplanning. And yet when it came to Universal, we did none of that at all, and had a great time.

Would I do that if we were planning on more time at Universal? No...especially not now that Diagon Alley is open as well. Having to go to 2 parks to experience WWoHP would require more planning than we did last time. But I know many people IRL who plan for vacations a lot less than we do, so considering we went to Universal and did no preplanning,I can absolutely see how others would do so as well.

In your opinion, how is showing up to WWOHP during an afternoon with no plans, different than showing up to New Fantasyland in the afternoon with no plans?

 

[Cormoran]

I've seen plenty of posts stating that legacy fastpasses were too confusing to the casual visitor. I guess that I always saw them as easy so that puzzles me.

People just show up at places sometimes. You see it everywhere. I'm not saying that this is the correct thing to do but many people use their local Six Flags as an indicator of what to expect at the actual Disney park. Big mistake.

I agree that a lot of people just show up, even if they shouldn't, it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. To a first time casual visitor, Legacy FP could be explained in what 2 minutes? How long do you think that conversation would take now with FP+? With FP+, Disney will always have to provide cast members to educate the uninformed. Because, from what I've read, Disney implemented the FP+ system to allow everyone access to headliner attractions, even the poor clueless guest.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We just showed up to Universal and bought tickets in 2013 .

I'm really not exaggerating about that either. We arrived in FL late on a Tuesday night. We had a family photo shoot with DD the next morning, and then DH, DD, my parents and I went to IOA for the afternoon. All we were interested in was WWoHP. We arrived at Universal, bought tickets at the gate (military discount tx, DH was free IIRC), went straight back to WWoHP, spent as long in the park as we could then returned to our hotel (SoG for that trip). We left around dinner time, I think? No research done at all, despite there being research done for the rest of the trip in which we were going to WDW. In general, we are a family that does do preplanning for vacations - not tons, but enough to do ADRs, parks/day..that kind of preplanning. And yet when it came to Universal, we did none of that at all, and had a great time.

Would I do that if we were planning on more time at Universal? No...especially not now that Diagon Alley is open as well. Having to go to 2 parks to experience WWoHP would require more planning than we did last time. But I know many people IRL who plan for vacations a lot less than we do, so considering we went to Universal and did no preplanning,I can absolutely see how others would do so as well.

Neither here nor there..but in referencing just showing up and buying tickets at Universal.

We did that. Do you know what happened? Instead of telling me my options, when I asked for our Approrpiate 6 adult/child tickets, she gave me the total and it was over $200 more than what I had expected. She up sold me without permission or explanation. Because I had done some basic research, I knew that wasn't right but didn't know why. I told her what I expected to pay and then had to practically convince her that the single one park admission perfectly suited our needs. The pricing board was flat on the counter and a bit concealed.

Personally, I found that dishonest. But we were able to resolve the issue.

And we got to open the park that day for the day guests, which the kids enjoyed.

And general commentary in the overall topic:

But bottom line--this all goes back to planning styles and to answer another posters question--I could see me showing up not knowing about FP+ and doing just fine because I would have noticed the signage, and the labeling on the maps.

Of people are coming in completely blind and making it through several rides before they finally ask what the 2 lines are for--I think at some point, they opted to not be aware and smacking them upside the head with literature would have been of no benefit.

And if they stayed off site and didn't buy tickets until they showed up...as happens often, then Disney cannot be blamed for notifying a guest they had no idea was coming. But there are ads, billboards, and signage. At some point--people need to take responsibility for how they choose to vacation and not blame a corporation for what they don't know.

Heck--lots of literature at the Florida Welcome centers for those entering the state via vehicle. Including information on FP+.

Could Disney do more? Maybe.
But if we accept that, we must also accept that some customers choose to remain ignorant of information and that is totally on them. (Using ignorant in the literal sense of lacking knowledge on a subject.)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I agree that a lot of people just show up, even if they shouldn't, it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. To a first time casual visitor, Legacy FP could be explained in what 2 minutes? How long do you think that conversation would take now with FP+? With FP+, Disney will always have to provide cast members to educate the uninformed. Because, from what I've read, Disney implemented the FP+ system to allow everyone access to headliner attractions, even the poor clueless guest.

2 minutes. It really is not difficult.

 

[Robo]

2 minutes. It really is not difficult.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I've seen plenty of posts stating that legacy fastpasses were too confusing to the casual visitor. I guess that I always saw them as easy so that puzzles me.

People just show up at places sometimes. You see it everywhere. I'm not saying that this is the correct thing to do but many people use their local Six Flags as an indicator of what to expect at the actual Disney park. Big mistake.

Exactly. I'm not saying its a great thing, just that it happens.

As for the amount of communication Disney sends, imo it is just odd that some receive more communication than others. Yes, it is everyone's responsibility to plan, and I'm not saying otherwise. If Disney were consistent in the amt of communication (even if it was consistently not a lot of communication), then sobeit. I just think it is odd that some get markedly more communication than others. I'm not saying that Disney "isn't doing enough to inform" people about fp+ - only that I *wonder* why some get significantly more communication than others.

 

[Cormoran]

yeah FP+ is easy peasy. that's the reason Mesaboy's thread earned thread of the year!

 

[mom2rtk]

I have a hunch scheduling FP+ probably seems much "easier" for locals with APs who have experienced it many times over by now, and who know that if they miss out on a certain attraction, they can go back next week and catch it then.

That said though, haven't we been told for years that WDW's core customer is the first time customer, or at the very least the occasional visitor?