Confused?

[JoyfulHeart]

First, that you all for taking the time to reply. Also, it does my heart good to hear that people are having a good time despite so many negative reviews. Maybe things will go smoother than I am thinking.

My comment about the crowds being less was from an article I read that someone ( I think one of the CEO's) said that WDW would not be going back to pre-pandemic crowds and it would be less. How much less I have no idea. That was where I was getting that from. I pictured it similar to our '17 trip because so many of the days parks have been selling out. and in '17 we were in peak summer months.

That brings up another thought, so many people have been against the reservation system, but since the parks have been maxed out, isn't it to our benefit? Don't get me wrong any company is going to ultimately make it for their own benefit; but I couldn't imagine paying for everything getting there and never getting into MK. Or you came for one of EP festival and couldn't get in the whole time you were there. I know in the past that wasn't a thing but a few days a year, but the calendar I have been looking at on their website they are selling out ALL the time right now. You used to have dining reservations for 6 months out, so you really knew were you were going to go months ahead anyway....Just a thought. Now for the hopping... we have never done it so I have no idea.

Let me ask this question.... why is everyone "on their phones all day"? How is this differing from the old FF times? I mean we used the phone to monitor time waits and try and get a FF pass after we used one. How is SO MUCH more time on your phone then that? What is keeping people on their phones?

Again, thank you for your information!!

 

[Westerner]

Let me ask this question.... why is everyone "on their phones all day"? How is this differing from the old FF times? I mean we used the phone to monitor time waits and try and get a FF pass after we used one. How is SO MUCH more time on your phone then that? What is keeping people on their phones?

My take on the G+ aspect of this:

• nostalgia for FP+ where you could get 3 choices (not necessarily good ones) without using phone at all so G+/$ILL feels like "all day" in comparison
• not using phone for other MDE features like wait times, navigation, mobile ordering, so G+/$ILL feels like "all day" in comparison
• feeling overwhelmed by G+/$ILL complexity and compensating by being on the phone more than necessary.

 

[mjdis17]

You used to have dining reservations for 6 months out, so you really knew were you were going to go months ahead anyway....Just a thought. Now for the hopping... we have never done it so I have no idea.

Again, thank you for your information!!

This is a great point that I had to have a talk with myself about this morning LOL

Today I added an extra ticket day for my upcoming trip that's less than 40 days out and was getting frustrated trying to move around my park reservations because what if we wanted to change day of and things are sold out? Part of the trip is at Beach Club so I was torn on my Epcot and HS days and just overall getting pissed that I had to even make a reservation. Then it hit me that if FP+ was still a thing I'd be totally screwed adding another park day right now because there would be crap availability for "good" rides. In the before times you had an idea of where you were going to be 180 days out for dining, and you DEFINITELY had an idea 60 days out to reserve FP. Park reservations mentally feel permanent because if parks sell out you're "trapped" in your reservation, but when it really comes down to it I never would have given up headliner FP reservations by switching parks after reserving FP selections. If anything FP+ was more restrictive in actuality because so much was gone at the 60 day mark whereas park reservations (at least what I have seen) are not selling out 60 days in advance.

 

[lockets]

Let me ask this question.... why is everyone "on their phones all day"? How is this differing from the old FF times? I mean we used the phone to monitor time waits and try and get a FF pass after we used one. How is SO MUCH more time on your phone then that? What is keeping people on their phones?

A day in the life of an iPhone at WDW:

My owner beckons me at 7 AM to start Genie+ and ILL ride selections. Previously, I would NEVER be awake at this time! I'd be sitting on a nightstand recharging and enjoying a much needed rest from her fingers. Not only am I awakened, but then she refreshes my screen like a million times to get the rides she wants or the time she wants them.

Right when I think I'll be placed back into the comforts of my recharginglife, I realize she's setting all kinds of alarms for throughout the day and that the 7 AM wake-up call won't be a one-time thing. It will be a several times a day thing! I hope I have enough battery power for this!

I tried to foil her alarm efforts. I can usually confuse her with AM vs PM or silent alerts vs. ringtones, but she made sure she got it right this time. Hold up I'll be right back - I have to ring now for the first alarm so she can pick her second ride.

Oh wait - she's ignoring the ringtone! She's in the middle of navigating Epcot using Maps App to figure out how to get to Mexico. Darn it. Now I have to do the ringtone thing again instead disappear into the background.

She ignoring me again! There's a line for a PhotoPass opportunity that's so long that she's decided to take the photo using my photo app instead. Eeek I really hope she doesn't give me to someone else momentarily for this photo. I hope it's a selfie. I hate being passed around to others.

Ok she finally cancelled the alarm and now we're scrolling for the next ride from this Genie guy. I hope she gets what she wants! I need a rest.

Ahhhh... she got what she wanted. I can chill now.

...I spoke too soon! Now she's searching for food booths in that crazy Disney app she put on me. I really don't understand why this park can't make the Food festival menus more accessible when she enters. There were some other festival brochures available but they were charging $ for them! If she pays for that, how can she pay for me? Oh well... I guess I'll try to help her find the deconstructed food booth or whatever.

Oh no! Now she wants to do standby rides too and she's checking line times? This is neverending. At this rate I'll be "dead" before 1 PM..

etc. etc. etc.

 

[Westerner]

She's in the middle of navigating Epcot using Google Maps to figure out how to get to Mexico.

I found MDE much better at navigating/routing me through the parks than Google Maps. The most important thing I use MDE for. That, and finding the closest bathroom.

At this rate I'll be "dead" before 1 PM..

I have an iPhone too and bought multiple slim batteries which are good for a full recharge. One goes in pocket with phone and gets me thru the day in parks. Rest stay back in room in reserve. Recharge overnight.

 

[lockets]

I found MDE much better at navigating/routing me through the parks than Google Maps. The most important thing I use MDE for. That, and finding the closest bathroom.

I have an iPhone too and bought multiple slim batteries which are good for a full recharge. One goes in pocket with phone and gets me thru the day in parks. Rest stay back in room in reserve. Recharge overnight.

I love the MDE maps too (to find the venue I want and general direction), but when it comes to the quickest way to walk from A to B I prefer the phone map because it's uncluttered and shows the little cut through areas more clearly (to me at least). I liken WDW to navigating an IKEA lol. Everything is generally in a big circle or a one-way maze, but there are "cut throughs" from time to time. BTW I shouldn't have said Google Maps. It's actually the regular maps app that comes with the iPhone. I'll edit my post.

I carry around a MyCharge external battery charger. It has four full iPhone charges on it, an internal wall charger, connection for an android if someone needs to charge that too plus two USB ports. I lost it once at a gym. When I retrieved it from the front desk the young staff heckled me. "Seriously. What era is this from?!" It's hefty. But I love it. Where I live, I cannot have a dead battery so I carry it with me all the time for safety anyway.

 

[Westerner]

BTW I shouldn't have said Google Maps. It's actually the regular maps app that comes with the iPhone. I'll edit my post.

Thanks for the info! I'm a late convert to Apple Maps (credit goes to DW) but I like it better than Google Maps for driving directions.

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

I don't get the trash issue. I enjoy watching some of the "walking around" videos posted on youtube (4K WDW), and have started paying more attention to the ground....am not seeing trash on the ground. Where are these hot spots?