Disney finally Made Me Mad

[ktlm]

I assume the Tier 1 is based on current line length for the Pooh M&G, but I have no idea. But the thing that I really cannot wrap my mind around is the idea that there would be no SB line when FP+ is implemented. Is that because there is no way to handle 2 queues there? I can't even picture the M&G area in my mind.

No, it definitely isn't his line length. We've seen him every trip for the last 5 years at EPCOT and have never waited more than 5 minutes. We've never had more than 5 families in front of us and usually it is in the 0 to 3 family range.

 

[Kate and Family]

1) The height challenged (many youngsters are more than 40" tall) are not going to be riding Soarin or Test Track - So it is not as if they are having to choose between them and a character interaction.

2) Crystal Palace is over the budget of many folks, that leaves just MK by the Winnie the Pooh ride since Pooh left the Wild World of Animals for the 100 Acre Woods.

3) I suspect Pooh will not be out in the open where small children walk by. He will be through a door like Mickey on Main Street. And it may be more interactive than currently - not to the point of Enchanted Tales, but more than a hug and picture.

3) Tier 1 is ridiculous - what do you expect from a "Silly Ole Bear". Christopher Robin needs to get his act together.

4) None of that will affect me, when I make my choices. However, putting ONLY with ANY FP is very concerning to me. That sets a precedence that has the potential of changing WDW that will have ramifications throughout the park. There is not much that would change my desire to go to WDW - but park wide implementation of this would.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Did a little looking around in MDE and the FP+ Only is only available through May 24. Lends credibility to the idea of it being a test ... or (cue ominous music) ... something even more sinister is just around the corner...

That's interesting...cue ominous music is right. Let's hope it's the end date for this.

It depends on the time of the year. I am not thinking people are going to book pooh with fastpass and then expect to get the TT or soarin fastpass as a fourth during peak time. Maybe pooh will be available for the fourth. Then this is a moot point.

My point was about how Disney would handle making a ride FP-ONLY (like 7DMT) in terms of public relations and perception. This is where the 4th FP comes in. Before, with only 3 prebooked, you would be sunk before you entered the park if you didn't have one for a FP-ONLY ride. Now, with the 4th, Disney can always say that you can try to get a FP same-day once you've used your three. The 4th FP becomes an escape valve in a sense, from a perception POV. Ditto for A&E.

 

[Zeebs]

for what it is worth and probably no body cares but when we go on vacation if we feel like an ice cream, treat etc I am pretty much happy to let the kids have it.

Now I think I will pack snacks, if Disney thinks by keeping me out of lines I will shop more, spend more they are sorely mistaken. Because now I am very cross at them. Will they notice nope, will I feel better, nope but its the principle and I am a suborn beggar.

Kirsten

 

[JeremyGNJ]

That's interesting...cue ominous music is right. Let's hope it's the end date for this.

This is an interesting scenario.

What if Disney made special limited time attractions that were FP+ only. I can almost guarantee this will happen.

"Come see Maleficent with FP+. Only from June 1 to July 31"

 

[cccory]

This tier 1 FP+ is starting to remind me of the letter ride tickets you use to get, way back in the 70's. You always needed more of those letter E's.

 

[preemiemama]

Just a thought- there was a mention of Minnie at DHS being a talking character M&G with the conversion to FP+ only. I remember also hearing (or seeing in the Christmas parade maybe?) That the Fab 5 would also be talking eventually? Maybe that is where they are going with all this? I agree it makes ZERO sense otherwise for this particular M&G.

 

[clsteve]

The link is in my signature. It's not much of a blog. But This topic has provided some good info to update it now. Plus I need to update the mine train capacity info.

I wonder if the fp-only is a way to manage breaks better for characters. Disney will only offer slots grouped together, and then streamline the process - cutting out the dead time, saving money on characters standing around.

I think this is very right. Plus, I'm sure they've figured out there's no way they can manage an SB line with this, as well----because, can you imagine the crying, screaming tantrum level as the 5 year-old at the front of the SB-line watched the CM take 5 families from the FP line, one at a time ahead of him/her, when they can see the character? No way that would be manageable. And due to the Character breaks, so many SB kids would be left out in the cold. That would be a very bad idea.

No matter how many angles I try to look at this- these now being Tier One look like nothing more than artificially "beefing up" the lack of true Tier-One's in certain Parks while potentially diverting a few thousand a day away from the Soarin's, TT's and TSMM's. It also makes you think that they're starting to have success hitting their advanced ressie targets for the true Tier One slots.

 

[mom2rtk]

The new system is in-your-face exclusionary. The old system was not exclusionary, it just favored the more informed. The uninformed didn't know any better anyway.

BINGO. That's the issue.

What you're forgetting is that the old system of FP- was exclusionary to MOST guests. If you weren't commando, you might stand in standby lines for 2 or 3 big rides and then their kids would likely already be getting tired and/or cranky....time to stop for lunch etc.

They couldn't do all the best attractions....but "some" guests could.

I do not believe for one second that Disney made these choices on a whim. They most likely had a lot of feedback from guests to the effect of 'we wish we could have seen Minnie and Pooh".

Utter nonsense. ANY guest could do ANY attraction with FP- if they wanted to.

And if someone went to Disney and couldn't see Minnie or Pooh, they didn't WANT to see Minnie or Pooh. Pooh was the most overexposed character at Disney. And I'm not just talking about the fact that he doesn't wear pants.

Thanks for that. Thankfully, these changes will not affect my plans. Also, no mention on the Walt Disney World Facebook page.

Shocking. If this is such an exciting new development, you'd think they'd have it front and center on their FB page. Maybe with comments disabled, but there nonetheless.

Actually it does. Visitors have been given the choice.

As bcrook has said, there's only 800 slots a day to see Pooh. Disney has now stated "this is one of the more desirable attractions". What this probably means is that all 800 spots are almost always used. This is an attraction that runs at full capacity, and therefor it's Tier 1.

That doesn't mean that it will run at full capacity once it becomes FP+ exclusive, especially if it means walking back to a kiosk to get a slot.

3) I suspect Pooh will not be out in the open where small children walk by. He will be through a door like Mickey on Main Street. And it may be more interactive than currently - not to the point of Enchanted Tales, but more than a hug and picture.

That's an interesting point. Where would they put him to shield him from view? Is this going to require new construction to close off a room? Surely the would never consider giving up any shopping space for this.

4) None of that will affect me, when I make my choices. However, putting ONLY with ANY FP is very concerning to me. That sets a precedence that has the potential of changing WDW that will have ramifications throughout the park. There is not much that would change my desire to go to WDW - but park wide implementation of this would.

That sums it up for many of us on this thread.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Our children never cared for the characters, and our only pictures of them with characters are at meals. But I know that this is important to many, so I am trying to figure out Disney's angle. Push more people to character meals? Those restaurants are already pretty full, right? I don't get it.

I assume the Tier 1 is based on current line length for the Pooh M&G, but I have no idea. But the thing that I really cannot wrap my mind around is the idea that there would be no SB line when FP+ is implemented. Is that because there is no way to handle 2 queues there? I can't even picture the M&G area in my mind.

The M&G is here

http://kennythepirate.com/2013/10/03/disney-world-character-and-blog-news/

 

[Mad Hattered]

And if someone went to Disney and couldn't see Minnie or Pooh, they didn't WANT to see Minnie or Pooh. Pooh was the most overexposed character at Disney. And I'm not just talking about the fact that he doesn't wear pants.

 

[clsteve]

That's interesting...cue ominous music is right. Let's hope it's the end date for this.

Yes, ominous as in "Hey, this worked!!" "Why spend 500 mill on a new ride or two- more Characters, stat!"

Mr. Hattered, there still may be hope and a future for "Flamingo Man"......

 

[anna08]

Ok, someone needs to design a t-shirt that says "I wanted to meet Pooh, but I didn't have a FP" and then get their kid's picture with as many other characters as they can and post them.

How many times this year have I uttered, "what are they THINKING?" Way too many.

 

[Angel Ariel]

OK, maybe not Anna & Elsa long, but when were in WDW 5 years ago this October, the line for Pooh & Tigger in the UK was very long and the wait to see Beauty & the Beast was sizable.

P

I was in epcot this past October, and there were no sizeable character lines pretty much anywhere. A&e hadn't opened yet, everyone else was very short.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Say what you want about Pooh....

For as long as people are willing to spend $40 a head on breakfast just to see Pooh at Crystal Palace....I'm pretty sure Disney is confident that they can make him a FP+ tier 1 attraction. (especially in a park with very few things for little ones to do)

Epcot always gets the reputation of having little for kids to do, yet my nephew's were totally content there for the day at 3 and 6. We spent so much time in the Seas pavilion, imagination, innoventions, etc...then moved through ws for dinner. There is a lot for kids in epcot.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Okay, so looking at the pictures it doesn't look like they can manage two queues there - not enough room. JMO, but if there can only be one queue, it should always be SB - and this should apply to any ride or attraction.

 

[FLchick415]

I am definitely baffled by this (and the other M&G's) being FP+ ONLY. I am also baffled that it's not available past May 24.

TBH, I don't even know where in the UK pavilion this is. I *think* I know, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it way in the back behind the shops? Because if so, I thought it was curious that I saw a FP+ sign there because I wasn't aware that the UK had any attraction to even use a FP FOR.

 

[morethananyonex]

Epcot always gets the reputation of having little for kids to do, yet my nephew's were totally content there for the day at 3 and 6. We spent so much time in the Seas pavilion, imagination, innoventions, etc...then moved through ws for dinner. There is a lot for kids in epcot.

Yup, and this is not a new attraction. People could always have walked up at their convenience and met them with little to no wait.

So what is really gained here from a guest perspective? Not something new for kids at a park some feel was lacking. Not something old for kids that can now be done with significantly less wait. Instead they have trimmed maybe 5-10 minutes off a wait time, it that, but made it much more difficult to get into that line.

It has a low capacity and a low demand compared to the other tier 1 attractions, so it shouldn't have a huge effect on the big 2 attractions, even if it did become a crazy popular FP. All that would accomplish is shutting tons of people out, as it's FP+ only. Character Spot has a higher capacity and is 3 of the main Disney characters, yet it didn't improve the FP situation at the other attractions.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ok, someone needs to design a t-shirt that says "I wanted to meet Pooh, but I didn't have a FP" and then get their kid's picture with as many other characters as they can and post them.

How many times this year have I uttered, "what are they THINKING?" Way too many.

....... and post the photo all over social media!

Okay, so looking at the pictures it doesn't look like they can manage two queues there - not enough room. JMO, but if there can only be one queue, it should always be SB - and this should apply to any ride or attraction.

 

[mom2rtk]

It probably works out well that the world showcase doesn't open until 11. Since nobody is going to schedule this as one of their first 3, they are going to need time to do Soarin, EO and Figment before scheduling Pooh.

But seriously....... can you imagine how lonely Minnie is going to be at DHS waiting for everyone to burn through their first 3?