Disney does not want or need FastPass+ Haters business!

[ethanwa]

How was the original FP- soooo great?? I keep hearing that and it's a BOGUS argument.

I HATED that I couldn't get my family in to Toy Story Mania.

I HATED that I couldn't get more than one FastPass at a time, and then when it was time to get another for my next ride, they were gone.

I HATED that I had to rush my family (who was still in strollers at the time) to FastPass machines before everyone else and that I couldn't just book the rides in advance.

I HATED that I had to try and get up early on my VACATION just to RUN to get a FastPass at some ride. I wanted to sleep in!

To think that FP- was the "better customer service" is just totally bogus. It's impossible to make every customer happy, ANY business person will tell you that (and I know, I personally own my business). FP+ fixes some of those problems and creates others. But to say that FP- was better customer service is incorrect. People just got used to the old ways and dealt with them.

 

[jade1]

In that respect, FP+ isn't free either. Neither is parking for onsite guests. Neither is anything Disney provides.

And with an AP, you can still get RP for $125 during certain times, and those 3 hotels are far and away nicer than anything Disney has.

There was an interesting article I read recently detailing the two very different approaches that Disney and Comcast are taking with their parks in order to increase revenue. Comcast has decided to invest in additional attractions, hotels and restaurants, Disney has mostly decided to try and figure out how much more they can squeeze out of their already existing customer base.

If you don't think the US price of "onsite" hotels did not increase at all because of FOTL-then we can agree to disagree.

That said-I would hope it would, and expect it to-and I think it did.

If you read the bold-that's my point. If WDW is willing to take proceeds for FP+ and reinvest on more attractions, I am happy to pay more for each one.

An argument can be made that US did exactly that. Selling FOTL and charging more for FOTL at onsite hotels certainly brought in a lot more money. If any of that was used on HP-the upward spiral continued.

 

[Planogirl]

LOfreakingL, so nobody who rides the attractions also spends big money? Only those who take a leisurely pace are the big spenders? Wow, I've heard it all now.

I can't figure out what to spend money on.

We could hit rope drop and ride some things before it gets crowded. We can then eat an early lunch like normal. Then we can use three FP+ since it has become crowded. What then? It doesn't take long to ride three rides. I suppose that we could do unpopular things the rest of the day or shop. I like to shop but don't see much to buy nowadays. I'm at a loss.

 

[Planogirl]

If you don't think the US price of "onsite" hotels did not increase at all because of FOTL-then we can agree to disagree.

That said-I would hope it would, and expect it to-and I think it did.

If you read the bold-that's my point. If WDW is willing to take proceeds for FP+ and reinvest on more attractions, I am happy to pay more for each one.

An argument can be made that US did exactly that. Selling FOTL and charging more for FOTL at onsite hotels certainly brought in a lot more money. If any of that was used on HP-the upward spiral continued.

Regardless of what Universal makes on Express there is no doubt that Comcast has been spending money like a drunken shopaholic. I doubt that Express has much to do with that.

However I have said that I would pay for extra FP+. If they go that route then I'd actually be less concerned about all of this.

 

[Angel Ariel]

How was the original FP- soooo great?? I keep hearing that and it's a BOGUS argument.

1. I HATED that I couldn't get my family in to Toy Story Mania.

2. I HATED that I couldn't get more than one FastPass at a time, and then when it was time to get another for my next ride, they were gone.

3. I HATED that I had to rush my family (who was still in strollers at the time) to FastPass machines before everyone else and that I couldn't just book the rides in advance.

4. I HATED that I had to try and get up early on my VACATION just to RUN to get a FastPass at some ride. I wanted to sleep in!

To think that FP- was the "better customer service" is just totally bogus. It's impossible to make every customer happy, ANY business person will tell you that (and I know, I personally own my business). FP+ fixes some of those problems and creates others. But to say that FP- was better customer service is incorrect. People just got used to the old ways and dealt with them.

It really is quite simple why others may love it while you didn't. With regards to your points (numbered above), for myself:

1. We generally arrived early enough at DHS to get TSMM FPs. Not RD, but within 30 mins or so.

2. The one FP at a time never bothered us, as we were always able to get another FP when our window opened. Aside from TSMM/Soarin/TT, we never had issues getting FP-s for anything else, even well into the evening.

3. We never rushed our family (or ourselves, prior to DD) from ride to ride. We picked up FPs as we toured and decided we wanted them. (Though I do agree that being able to get FPs from one central location is a definite improvement).

4. We got up early, but it wasn't "for FPs". And on days we really wanted to sleep in, we did.

As we generally spend 10+ hours in MK, we easily used more than 3 FP/day...probably 6-7 easily. So cutting that in half definitely negatively affects us.

As we generally stay offsite, we always had an equal opportunity to get FPs. Now we don't...onsite guests get to book 60 days before they arrive, and offsite guests have to wait in kiosk lines first thing in the morning (instead of using that valuable RD time to ride rides) to be able to get FPs - and we have to hope that FPs we want are available for things like TSMM, and that the onsite guests haven't booked all the slots already (hasn't been an issue for multitudes of offsite guests yet, I acknowledge this, but was for some over the holiday weekend...I will be keeping an eye on how this goes over spring break season).

Customer Service is in the eye of the customer, and is very subjective. For us and our touring style, legacy FP was more beneficial for us. I understand and appreciate that FP+ is better for others, though.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Most marketers would give anything for long term brand loyalty.

The thing is that they succeeded in that goal and most of us are living proof BECAUSE Disney had a decades long track record of World Class customer service... going the extra FIVE miles to make everyone's stay as enjoyable as possible. FP+ is only one aspect of what many people perceive as a steady decline in that philosophy in recent years. CMs yelling at guests, etc. To heck with making people happy... we've already got their money. And if they never come back, who cares? There are millions more rubes out there who can be conned into spending thousands for their "once in a lifetime" vacation.

 

[disney1990]

I'm sitting here doing & So heck, I might as well join in the fun. Besides, I really just want to see how much time is left on my ticker

Disney is a business. Everything they do, they do for (what they believe) is good for the business. Of course, it is all about $$$$$$. Of course, they are mostly interested in keeping people on property. They aren't trying to alienate. They aren't concerned about being fair. They simply want as many people, spending as much $$$$$$ on property as humanly possible. That has always been their goal. And let's face it, it worked. We are all living proof of that!

I am an AP holder in Michigan. I visit twice a year and stay on property. I have used FP+. Am I a huge fan of it at the moment? Ahhh, no. Truthfully, it had a lot of bugs and had me pulling my hair out a bit.

With FP+ the way it is, I greatly prefer FP-. However, if I take a step back from my own annoyance, I am capable of seeing the potential of it (although it has a long way to go) and why Disney would feel that it is a better option for their corporation.

The truth of the matter is that it is here and there is nothing we can do about it! So in other words, no matter which side of the fence you are on - GET OVER IT! They've made changes before. We all hemmed and hawed and threw the occasional tizzy, but we moved on and figured out how to use the new systems to their fullest. Now, it is time to figure out the best way to make THIS system work for you.

I have no doubt that by the end of 2014 there will be dozens of posts with all kinds of new tricks. And so the Circle of Life continues . . .

Huh? Get over it? Only by expressing dissatisfaction can there be change. And yes, Disney has made changes in the past because of guest complaints.

 

[yeahhhhh7]

I can't figure out what to spend money on.

We could hit rope drop and ride some things before it gets crowded. We can then eat an early lunch like normal. Then we can use three FP+ since it has become crowded. What then? It doesn't take long to ride three rides. I suppose that we could do unpopular things the rest of the day or shop. I like to shop but don't see much to buy nowadays. I'm at a loss.

Can you not ride a ride without Fastpass? Is it that ridiculous that you would have to wait in line?

 

[Shaden]

How was the original FP- soooo great?? I keep hearing that and it's a BOGUS argument.

I HATED that I couldn't get my family in to Toy Story Mania.

I HATED that I couldn't get more than one FastPass at a time, and then when it was time to get another for my next ride, they were gone.

I HATED that I had to rush my family (who was still in strollers at the time) to FastPass machines before everyone else and that I couldn't just book the rides in advance.

I HATED that I had to try and get up early on my VACATION just to RUN to get a FastPass at some ride. I wanted to sleep in!

To think that FP- was the "better customer service" is just totally bogus. It's impossible to make every customer happy, ANY business person will tell you that (and I know, I personally own my business). FP+ fixes some of those problems and creates others. But to say that FP- was better customer service is incorrect. People just got used to the old ways and dealt with them.

Seriously, worst ever.

1) That's the only ride, that about 30% of the year you couldn't get unless you RD'd. The other 70% of the year, you would have been fine. So congrats, 1 ride you are going for, while giving up FPs to dozens of other rides. Um ... yay ????

2) You still can't "get" more than 1 fast pass at a time. Note the current FP+ system makes you space them out, just like the last system did. And just like the last system, if you had bothered, you would have been able to pull more than 1 FP. Of course, with the current system you can ONLY pull 3, which in some parks (AK, HS) is really 1 FP that means anything .... while the other, you could have pulled 5, 6, or more, even on the busiest days .... again ... great trade off ????

3) ... Ok, maybe this is true for you, maybe you toured on the 8+ days, that's 36% of the year .... if that's the case, and you hated it, I guess I can see why, sort of, you would like FP+. But then you better not EVER bring up RDing. As soon as you do, your entire argument goes out the window. The other 64% of the year, there was no need to rush around parks to "get FP before the others" .... That's the facts, according to crowd levels. SO yea, I guess if you went to the non-recommended park, and didn't RD, 36% of the year, FP+ allows you to get FPs without "rushing your family around" otherwise, this is a crap argument as well.

4) again, only applies in those 8+ days. We toured during Presidents day weekend/week ... if you picked the recommended parks, we slept in til 9 or 10am most days, headed in to the parks, and pulled FPs all day. But hey great, if you are willing to trade in unlimited FPs, for in 3 out of 4 parks, 1 meaningful FP, that you can preplan and sleep in for ...... great ???? I guess ? I don't see how this is a good tradeoff but apparently you do. IF that's the honest case, all the power to you, enjoy doing less than you could have before while paying more than you ever have .... sounds like a good deal.


This isn't really about customer service, its about what you COULD do, or could NOT do. and clearly what you COULD do is far less than what you could've done before.

 

[crostorfer]

Regardless of what Universal makes on Express there is no doubt that Comcast has been spending money like a drunken shopaholic. I doubt that Express has much to do with that.

However I have said that I would pay for extra FP+. If they go that route then I'd actually be less concerned about all of this.

I agree with you, 100%.

 

[crostorfer]

So, just to clarify, is Disney World "not about the rides", or "so much more than rides", or is Disney World all about ability to ride Toy Story Midway Mania?

 

[BuckeyeBama]

... For us and our touring style, legacy FP was more beneficial for us. I understand and appreciate that FP+ is better for others, though.

I agree, but consider that the vast majority tour the way that this PP tours and you can see that FP+ is going to make more people happy than it makes sad/upset. Why are the parks empty until 10am every day? Because most guests want to take it easy when on vacation. FP+ allows for that while still ensuring a ride on your favorite attraction.

The needs of the many...

 

[mom2rtk]

So, just to clarify, is Disney World "not about the rides", or "so much more than rides", or is Disney World all about ability to ride Toy Story Midway Mania?

I think we're done here folks.


DING DING DING! We have a winner!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So, just to clarify, is Disney World "not about the rides", or "so much more than rides", or is Disney World all about ability to ride Toy Story Midway Mania?

To be even more clear - both sides of this debate (pro and con FP+) want to ride TSMM. One side is happy to finally get to ride it once/day with a fast pass, the other wants to ride it 2+ times/day with a fast pass.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Makes you wonder why they did not invest money in simply building another TSM....

I heard one guest say that they were going to 'cheat the system' by buying two tickets thus having twice as many FP+ choices. Disney's dream guest...I think they might turn a blind eye to that 'loop hole' lol..

I did enjoy FP+ not being able to get to RD due to health difficulties. But I can see that not being able to book FP+ in multiple parks on same day is an issue.

 

[JanaDee]

To be even more clear - both sides of this debate (pro and con FP+) want to ride TSMM. One side is happy to finally get to ride it once/day with a fast pass, the other wants to ride it 2+ times/day with a fast pass.

A lot of visitors want to ride TSMM, not all of them. In all my trips, I have only ridden TSMM twice, because we only visit DHS every third trip or so. It isn't a must-do for everyone.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

A lot of visitors want to ride TSMM, not all of them. In all my trips, I have only ridden TSMM twice, because we only visit DHS every third trip or so. It isn't a must-do for everyone.

I was using the PP's ride of choice.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I heard one guest say that they were going to 'cheat the system' by buying two tickets thus having twice as many FP+ choices. Disney's dream guest...I think they might turn a blind eye to that 'loop hole' lol...

It looks like you can use the FP+ from both tickets without actually using both tickets to enter the parks. If this hole is still open when we go next, we will take advantage of it as we have APs and don't mind buying tickets to apply to our AP renewal.

 

[mom2rtk]

To be even more clear - both sides of this debate (pro and con FP+) want to ride TSMM. One side is happy to finally get to ride it once/day with a fast pass, the other wants to ride it 2+ times/day with a fast pass.

There are some who are upset about all of this because it messes with their plans to ride it multiple times. That was never us though. Some days we arrived at rope drop and still didn't even do it once.

 

[Angel Ariel]

To be even more clear - both sides of this debate (pro and con FP+) want to ride TSMM. One side is happy to finally get to ride it once/day with a fast pass, the other wants to ride it 2+ times/day with a fast pass.

That's not accurate either.

I don't care about riding tsmm multiple times. We didn't generally before, and if we did it was 1 fp, 1 standby.

I want the ability to ride tsmm AND rnrc with a fp. Both just once each. And then I'd like to get a fp for tot, and star tours..again, just once would be fine.