Curious about walking up and buying tickets

[wilkeliza]

No, you can't do similar at Disney. I'm very familiar with touring both places, are you? Have you actually stayed at a US hotel with EP, or just WDW?

For last month: CR: no EP, rates 25% more ($135/night) than RP. If I subtract the $ value of the included EP, our room was free, PLUS we got a bonus free credit!

FP is highly restricted (ONE hour) and limited (tiers). With EP, we just ride whatever we want all day and night: only a few attractions are excluded. EP is vastly more useful.

I'm well versed in TS at both WDW and US. WDW's ADR system is a horror show compared to TS at US. TS at WDW is an series of aggravations: MDE, long bus waits, no respect for ADR's when you do arrive,plus the insulting no show fee. We don't have to deal with any of that at US. We mostly just arrive and eat. Reservations are easy and honored when made. The food costs less and is better quality.

There's also no comparing transportation in US vs. WDW. Getting around US is quick and stress-free.

But I didn't come here to rant about Us being better than WDW, I was trying to explain why some folks might not anticipate the frustrations of touring WDW.

For a start, if I didn't know WDW inside and out, then I'd probably expect MDE to be reliable. (I'm joking....paying corporate utility bills is also pretty bad!)

You clearly are pro Universal and anti-Disney and that is totally cool. Yes, I am familiar with both. I have not stayed on property at Universal simply because I haven't found the need to. I don't want to move hotels in the middle of my vacation so I stay at Disney hotels and purchase Express Pass. That is my option. Again if you were just showing up to Universal and not staying at a Universal hotel you would be at a disadvantage to someone who did some advance planning and chose to pay the price to stay at the higher end Universal hotels for the free Express Pass and knew what parks got early entry on what days and so forth. I was saying it is still possible to tour Disney by just showing up. I wouldn't suggest it but if you show up to Disney at least whatever 3 fastpasses you can get are included. If you just show up to Universal (and I do not count staying onsite as just showing up) then you have to pay extra to skip the lines. So same footing.

People do theme parks differently and that doesn't make one better than the other. Again I was simply saying I don't understand how people can go and not plan because I'm a planner on vacation but that doesn't make a non-planners trip any more or less magical for them.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I
Again, despite the hype on these boards, there are plenty of same day ADRs available at Disney. Just now at 5:30 pm looked for ADRs 30 minutes from now at 6pm for 4 people. Many choices including Ohana at 6pm or 7:25, 50's PTC, Hollywood and Vine, Brown Derby, BOMA, Tusker House, Yak n Yeti, Cape May, Garden Grill, Coral Reef, LTT, and much much more

Except if you were actually at WDW, let's say right now you were in your room at Pop or in the WS's Japan, you wouldn't have time to get to most of those locations in less than 30minutes.

If you were at Pop, you'd have to walk to your bus stop, wait up to 25minutes, ride another 15, go through security (how long?), get through the gate, then walk the distance to a Yak/Yeti, GG, or LTT. It wouldn't be possible to arrive in half an hour.

They also wouldn't be options if you weren't willing to pay for hopping.

Oh, and this is just about the slowest week of the year.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

You clearly are pro Universal and anti-Disney and that is totally cool.

No, not quite.

I'd say I'm a fan of Florida. My WDW experience dates to the 1970's. My DISboards experience includes MANY prior posts where I suggested WDW over Universal.

Speaking pretty objectively but succinctly, ten years ago US was a dump compared to WDW. We've spent FAR more total time at WDW than US. Our full parks ratio is over 8(WDW): to 1(US).

I yearn for a return to stress-free park touring, and exciting new attractions like Disney used to make! Please give us another Test Track!

I always try to be open-minded about spending my vacation money where I get the best value. I'll try anything: onsite/offsite, Tampa/MCO, different airlines, almost every WDW hotel, almost every US hotel. hopping/non-hopping, TiW, AP's, EP/non EP/FP.

I post to share, and learn better ways to vacation.

 

[Virtucomp]

I should also add, it is STILL possible to tour Universal with an unlimited Express Pass and very minimal planning. You get a discount if you buy your tickets and passes in advance. You can actually eat in table service restaurants without ANY planning. If you do want a reservation, you can usually get them just a few hours before you plan to eat! If you don't have a dining reservation, there are ample options available. It is one of the thgins we appreciate about Universal.

We went to Universal for the first time on our last trip. The parks were so empty that it felt like we didn't even need the unlimited express pass. We also went on almost everything at both parks in one day. The cost to go to Universal for two full days was close to the cost of 5 days at WDW. Hotel and Food included. We had to leave one park early every day because they run the Halloween Horror night almost every night and they did not release the dates until a month before the trip.
The next stop was WDW where the park was full. I guess Universal doesn't come close to the attendance of WDW. Since their service was not as good and they closed the park early multiple days in a row I can understand why.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I may be a "Planning? What planning?" DLR vet new to my love for WDW, but really. Even if you just get an inkling to blow off your Orlando conference and visit Epcot or MK, who doesn't pull out their smart phone first to figure out how to actually do that? Even at DL, not doing so is a recipe for disaster. Expecting to have everything explained to you at the last minute by a real-life person instead of online in advance is kind of 20th century. Also, if you're wrapped up in complaining about FP+, you're not doing it right. They're not even necessary at rope drop, changeable at will, and you can get everything after your first three in a second park if you want. On a mid-crowded day you can pull them one right after another until you get bored. The only time you should be spending in a standby line is in the morning or betwen your FP+ selections. The myth that there weren't any lines at WDW before FP+ is such a bunch of baloney. Remember two hour lines at Soarin' and three hour lines at RNRC? I do. In 2013, before FP+ came online.

 

[mom2rtk]

I may be a "Planning? What planning?" DLR vet new to my love for WDW, but really. Even if you just get an inkling to blow off your Orlando conference and visit Epcot or MK, who doesn't pull out their smart phone first to figure out how to actually do that? Even at DL, not doing do is a recipe for disaster. Expecting to have everything explained to you at the last minute by a real-life person instead of online in advance is kind of 20th century. Also, if you're wrapped up in complaining about FP+, you're not doing it right. They're not even necessary at rope drop, changeable at will, and you can get everything after your first three in a second park if you want. On a mid-crowded day you can pull them one right after another until you get bored. The only time you should be spending in a standby line is in the morning or betwen your FP+ selections. The myth that there weren't any lines at WDW before FP+ is such a bunch of baloney. Remember two hour lines at Soarin' and three hour lines at RNRC? I do. In 2013, before FP+ came online.

Maybe someone without a smart phone?

 

[miamimi]

Maybe someone without a smart phone?

People without smart phones have been marginalized at WDW. I'm just glad that hasn't happened at DLR.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Maybe someone without a smart phone?

We're talking here about people who traveled to Orlando for business and at the last minute decided to go to Disney World. I assure you, they have smart phones. But even if we weren't, it's 2016. There is no digital divide anymore on smart phones, much less on cell phones. Low end smart phones are highly subsidized by carriers. Anyone who doesn't have one is simply making a choice not to have one. It's like people who decided not to have answering machines in the 1990s. It's cute, but it's pointless.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

People without smart phones have been marginalized at WDW. I'm just glad that hasn't happened at DLR.

Don't get your hopes up. It's about to happen at Disneyland. The West Coast version of FP+ is going to rely primarily on guests having their own smart phone to display a fast pass plus barcode at scanners since Disney deems MagicBands too expensive to roll out in Anaheim. And if you decide not to use your own smart phone, you're going to have to rely on paper FPs there. I will admit, using your own smart phone there will be less convenient because Disneyland Resort does not have wifi deployed in the parks, so your battery will go down faster than it does in the wifi paradise of Disney World.

 

[AngiTN]

We're talking here about people who traveled to Orlando for business and at the last minute decided to go to Disney World. I assure you, they have smart phones. But even if we weren't, it's 2016. There is no digital divide anymore on smart phones, much less on cell phones. Low end smart phones are highly subsidized by carriers. Anyone who doesn't have one is simply making a choice not to have one. It's like people who decided not to have answering machines in the 1990s. It's cute, but it's pointless.

Actually, no. My original question was about someone who walked up and bought tickets from the ticket counter, not people who are on a business trip (someone else brought that up as another group that does not plan ahead). My first question was sparked when I met someone who didn't plan ahead, for whatever reason. I think in many cases it may well be they had no clue they needed to. I really was curious what the common practice was in regards to buying tickets, be them 1 day or 10 day, and learning about FP+. If there was anything in place to introduce it.

Anyway, those people may not have smart phones.

 

[miamimi]

Don't get your hopes up. It's about to happen at Disneyland. The West Coast version of FP+ is going to rely primarily on guests having their own smart phone to display a fast pass plus barcode at scanners since Disney deems MagicBands too expensive to roll out in Anaheim. And if you decide not to use your own smart phone, you're going to have to rely on paper FPs there. I will admit, using your own smart phone there will be less convenient because Disneyland Resort does not have wifi deployed in the parks, so your battery will go down faster than it does in the wifi paradise of Disney World.

I've been hearing this for the past 5 years. I'll believe it when it happens. Meanwhile, I will enjoy the simplicity of visiting DLR.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Actually, no. My original question was about someone who walked up and bought tickets from the ticket counter, not people who are on a business trip (someone else brought that up as another group that does not plan ahead). My first question was sparked when I met someone who didn't plan ahead, for whatever reason. I think in many cases it may well be they had no clue they needed to. I really was curious what the common practice was in regards to buying tickets, be them 1 day or 10 day, and learning about FP+. If there was anything in place to introduce it.

Anyway, those people may not have smart phones.

Fair enough about the original point. Still, deciding not to plan anything in advance is often its own reward. I used to work in public transit advocacy in New York and we sometimes would get people complaining that they threw themselves onto the New York City subway and only then realized they had no idea how to get where they were going. Then they'd complain to us about subway signage. And we would always ask them why they threw themselves onto the subway without thinking in the first place.

As far as cell phones, not for nothing but if you can afford Disney you can afford a cell phone. If you show up at Disney without one, it's not poverty. It's a deliberate choice. Like the people who try to make a point about technology by writing out checks in the supermarket. Point being, I don't think the line needs to be slowed down for them.

 

[danceintherain]

Actually, no. My original question was about someone who walked up and bought tickets from the ticket counter, not people who are on a business trip (someone else brought that up as another group that does not plan ahead). My first question was sparked when I met someone who didn't plan ahead, for whatever reason. I think in many cases it may well be they had no clue they needed to. I really was curious what the common practice was in regards to buying tickets, be them 1 day or 10 day, and learning about FP+. If there was anything in place to introduce it.

Anyway, those people may not have smart phones.

In my years before the DIS, we took a few family trips to WDW. We usually bought tickets at the Florida Welcome Center, during the drive down. If my Dad hadn't been, I expect, a read/write learner like I am, I doubt we would have known about FP at all. My Mom probably wouldn't have read the back of the map (she's more hands on) and isn't a planner at all.
I think the same thing is still in play. People have different learning styles, and simply won't internalize information unless it's presented to them in the "right" way. I think, perhaps, that having videos walking people through obtaining FPs on the monorail or ferry (since most people hit the MK first) could help spread the information better, but that's only if people take the time to pay attention. If someone thinks that something is going to cost extra, and aren't prepared to pay extra, they won't pay attention to it.

Also, many theme parks DO charge for the use of their front of the line/fast lane privileges, so that will be the frame of reference most people are operating within.
For example, even though my Dad could read the map adequately enough to learn about FP, he still argues with me about other things relating to Disney, because when he was in the position to attend frequently (we lived in Orlando in the early 90s) some of the policies and practices were different. He refuses to accept the fact that my more recent research is probably more accurate than his memories.

As for the smart phones....it's getting increasingly more difficult to not have one. My sister hung onto her phone up until just a few months ago, but when she went to replace it, I think she said there wasn't a non-smart phone option. I have a brother who still has an old Blackberry, but I don't expect it to last more than a year.

 

[snoopboop]

he cost to go to Universal for two full days was close to the cost of 5 days at WDW. Hotel and Food included.

Can you elaborate on this, please?

It's clear you aren't a fan of Universal, and that's fine, but I'm not sure it's fair to make this kind of statement without some more details. Are you comparing the same hotel categories, for example?

 

[Virtucomp]

Can you elaborate on this, please?

It's clear you aren't a fan of Universal, and that's fine, but I'm not sure it's fair to make this kind of statement without some more details. Are you comparing the same hotel categories, for example?

We spent over $1000 for two nights at Universal including the park passes and hotel.
There was an additional charge of $40 plus tax for parking at their hotel for two nights.
We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge Savannah view Studio for $1800 for 5 nights with park passes.

Both were deluxe.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Can you elaborate on this, please?

It's clear you aren't a fan of Universal, and that's fine, but I'm not sure it's fair to make this kind of statement without some more details. Are you comparing the same hotel categories, for example?

This is why I tried to be fairly specific in my earlier post. Over approximately the last three years, our Universal days have cost FAR less than our WDW days.

Even our WDW food cost quite a bit more. I was going to add that, but my post was already getting way too long! That's the trouble with getting specific in a post.

Mostly though, as many others have said, if your frame of reference is almost any non-WDW theme park, then you could easily fall under the assumption that FP isn't free.

When folks research all the Orlando/Tampa theme parks, it is easy to confuse the details of one with the details of another. Pre-smart phones, it was VERY common to hear folks at WDW asking how to get to US rides and the reverse over at US.

As for the person who says they got unlimited FP, that has not been our experience. I booked Frozen ASAP, and the earliest FP was 5pm. ALL were gone inside of 24 hours. I kept looking and never saw more.

The MK mountains are available a little longer than that, but I have YET to see same day availability since the advent of FP+ for Space Mtn, 7D, Splash, PP, or BTMRR over a number of tries.

At times, we have been able to pull a 5th and 6th FP, but they are for lesser rides, and (often) empty queues. An 11pm FP for the teacups isn't a real FP, IMO!

At HS, we once tried to get same day FP, and the options were the Muppets, Indy, and VoLM. Ooh!

 

[snoopboop]

We spent over $1000 for two nights at Universal including the park passes and hotel.
There was an additional charge of $40 plus tax for parking at their hotel for two nights.
We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge Savannah view Studio for $1800 for 5 nights with park passes.

Both were deluxe.

I guess I'd hardly call 58% "close to [the same] cost." *shrug*

 

[mrzrich]

I guess I'd hardly call 58% "close to [the same] cost." *shrug*

The pp was comparing 2 days for $1040 ($520 a night) to 5 days for $1800 ($360 a night)

 

[bumbershoot]

Or when selling tickets at the window give the paper they use to have explaining FP+. Just hand it to them and say here are your tickets and here is a paper explaining our free service called FP+ that lets you skip the line at select attractions. CMs inside can offer further assistance as well. That way the guest has the information and knows where to get even more.

How is this different from the park map with the big FP or FP+ logo on it?

Hey, I've forgotten to read everything before. Sure felt like a fool later! And it kept on happening.

Found out after it was needed about the bus transportation at Universal when it's storming and the boat service is closed. Info was right there in the room.

Found out once we got home how Dine&Play works on DCL. It was right there in front of my face in the Navigator!!! Oops.

And I'm sure there are more.

But I don't blame Uni and DCL; they tried to tell me. I just wasn't opening my eyes enough.

I'm sorry you resent my comment, but I only said "most" of the people

I highly doubt that.

Plus, jut having lots of MBs does nothing. It's MBs from *another* account. I have 13 on my account. I can't play games with those. I would have to think about it, to make new accounts, to make reservations on those, etc, to use them.

I don't think *most* do. I think that *most* in the threads about doing that do, but that's a tiny patch of the population that goes to WDW.

You clearly are pro Universal and anti-Disney and that is totally cool. Yes

Ooh I didn't get that at all. She knows a ton about WDW and Uni, and compares them very much like I do, but I'm not *anti* Disney.

And I do look at EP as being like FP, because anyone can get them. Since MY Uni trips come in WAY lower than WDW trips (because I don't consider our DVC points to be free), I feel that in effect I'm paying for FPs by paying more at WDW. Same as we're paying for parking for everyone and for onsite and airport transportation for everyone. Just like on DCL I'm subsidizing everyone's sodas.

I have not stayed on property at Universal simply because I haven't found the need to. I don't want to move hotels in the middle of my vacation so I stay at Disney hotels and purchase Express Pass.

Have you looked into the cost of booking a room for the EP? Many people find that even a one day trip with an EP purchased planned, that booking a one night stay at RPR, HRH, or PBH is actually cheaper than buying those EPs. And you don't even have to stay there. Just checkin, get your EP, and go on your way. If you have two days planned and were going to buy EPs for your party for the days, it's almost a no brainer.

And I'm not sure if you're buying unlimited EP, but if you are then you should really look into that option. One night's stay = uEP for the day of check in and out! And even RPR allows 5 people in the room. Sweet deal.

We went to Universal for the first time on our last trip. The parks were so empty that it felt like we didn't even need the unlimited express pass. We also went on almost everything at both parks in one day. The cost to go to Universal for two full days was close to the cost of 5 days at WDW. Hotel and Food included. We had to leave one park early every day because they run the Halloween Horror night almost every night and they did not release the dates until a month before the trip.
The next stop was WDW where the park was full. I guess Universal doesn't come close to the attendance of WDW. Since their service was not as good and they closed the park early multiple days in a row I can understand why.

Did you spend any time on the Uni forum here?

I found an article published 8/15/15 stating that tickets for HHN were on sale on that date. Your sig shows that your trip was in October? That or another article said that there were 30 parties between early September and early November...that's not every day, though it could have just been the days your trip fell. Yes US closes at 5pm (vs 7pm) on HHN days; thankfully IOA is open, and tends to stay open later *specifically because of the earlier close*.

Did you use any discounts for your hotel? Did you...gasp...buy a package? Time on the forum can tell people that *generally* Uni packages are a poor financial deal; they are good for things like Celebration of Harry Potter when they include OTHER things that people value...but just a normal package is often a bad decision financially.

Sorry you didn't find Uni service to be as good. We find the opposite. We were at Disneyland then Uni Hollywood in July, then UO and again USH in August/early September, and the Uni TMs consistently gave much better service than at DLR, and we find DLR service to always be better than WDW service. We find it to be so much better ahn we generally leave Disney parks with a few "what on earth?" CM stories, but the literally two times since 2010 that we've had questionable TM service it stands out like a glaring mark after a Uni trip.

Actually, no. My original question was about someone who walked up and bought tickets from the ticket counter, not people who are on a business trip

Ah, but the person being quoted started HIS statement with "Even if you just get an inkling to blow off your Orlando conference and visit Epcot or MK..." but that wasn't bolded in the quote of the response that he then responded to. He was tlaking about those people, even if you weren't.

We spent over $1000 for two nights at Universal including the park passes and hotel.
There was an additional charge of $40 plus tax for parking at their hotel for two nights.
We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge Savannah view Studio for $1800 for 5 nights with park passes.

Both were deluxe.

AKL can call themselves deluxe all the way, but I'll never call them that. Worst service at WDW, and I've now (despite my best intentions) three separate chances. Not deluxe. Especially not compared to Uni deluxe!

$800 more got you 3 more days at a hotel and on passes. But the passes are a minimal part of that because at ANY themepark, the more days on the ticket the less each day costs. Same at Uni. For your 5 day WDW tickets you could have bought a Power Pass at Uni and gone back many times in the year.

Mostly though, as many others have said, if your frame of reference is almost any non-WDW theme park, then you could easily fall under the assumption that FP isn't free.

I totally agree.

Except that WDW always had info about FPs, they had CMs that would tell you about it if you had questions about that info/signs/lines etc, and they have the same for FP+.

I have several friends who have planned first-time WDW trips all by themselves, without me at all, and they managed to get all the info about hotels, ADRs, and FP+s *from the website* and the emails they got while booking the trip!

When folks research all the Orlando/Tampa theme parks, it is easy to confuse the details of one with the details of another. Pre-smart phones, it was VERY common to hear folks at WDW asking how to get to US rides and the reverse over at US.

Post smart phones too.

I still get surveys (from Uni recently b/c I haven't been inside a WDW park since 2015, but the questions were absolutely on the WDW surveys as well!) asking if I know that Uni and WDW are separate, that you can't get there from here, etc etc etc.

They can do everything in their power short of a Vulcan mind meld to get the info out, and there will be people who just don't notice it!

 

[wilkeliza]

@bumbershoot We did look into booking a room. There are only 2 of us and we don't do Universal back to back often. We usually do 1 day when we go. So at best we break even with the hotel room. We did consider it but this trip if we go twice it will be the 1st day and last day of our trip and one of those days is HHN so express pass won't benifit us there anyways.