Disney World is BROKEN!

[LSUfan4444]

Resiliency has been defined by Luthar (2000) as, “the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change . . . a positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity,” (as cited in Carson lecture, 2014). So, not only do the skills of resiliency allow people to overcome and recover from tragic experiences in their lives, but resilient people also flourish, grow and experience tremendous well-being and success in their lives.

 

[V2000]

Disney Magic comes from within.

So many people love DW so of course Disney will have to find innovative ways to help guest better enjoy their experiences.

I think that's why they created My Disney Experience and the Fast Pass + system. Planning ahead is key. Make reservations for dining and schedule your rides! You can always use the app in the park to change your fast pass time if you run into any time issues.

Have you ever been to Disney California?

I loved DW the two times I was there but I grew a special appreciation for my local Disney in California. I really appreciate it more now.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think that's why they created My Disney Experience and the Fast Pass + system. Planning ahead is key. Make reservations for dining and schedule your rides! You can always use the app in the park to change your fast pass time if you run into any time issues.

For the sake of having correct information out there, for anyone else reading the thread..

As of right now, only those guests staying onsite can use the app in the park to change FP+ times. If you are an offsite guest, you must go to one of the FP+ kiosk locations in the park to set and change FP+ times.

 

[themommy]

Wow. That was my first response to the original comment. I have to agree some things need fixed but, geez. Guess I am more of an optimist than I thought because I think they will get all of this mess figured out. Don't see a way they can't because they will lose business. Especially to Universal. They are growing and dumping money hand over fist. I trust Disney to work it all out for us.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Wow. That was my first response to the original comment. I have to agree some things need fixed but, geez. Guess I am more of an optimist than I thought because I think they will get all of this mess figured out. Don't see a way they can't because they will lose business. Especially to Universal. They are growing and dumping money hand over fist. I trust Disney to work it all out for us.

It's not even a mess now. People overreact to nothing.

 

[luvthemouse71]

My experience in December was so not like the OP's. Lines were not bad, no glitches with FP +, and there was plenty of magic to be had.

The parks are not broken, people's expectations in some cases are out of whack. There are going to be crowds and lines and other people who all paid money to be there. It's a theme park. I really think some people may be happier with another vacation destination. Nothing wrong with that either.

So, I will not be joining the rebellion. Matter of fact, I'm booking another trip tomorrow.

 

[Chuckers]

It's not even a mess now. People overreact to nothing.

People have had their cheese moved and are not happy about it.

 

[boBQuincy]

My experience in December was so not like the OP's. Lines were not bad, no glitches with FP +, and there was plenty of magic to be had.

The parks are not broken, people's expectations in some cases are out of whack. There are going to be crowds and lines and other people who all paid money to be there. It's a theme park. I really think some people may be happier with another vacation destination. Nothing wrong with that either.

So, I will not be joining the rebellion. Matter of fact, I'm booking another trip tomorrow.

Yep, not broken, just changing *as it has since the day it opened*. And with each change there have been those who feel it is better/worse/the same/broken and say "I'm never going again" or "I already reserved my next trip".

One thing is for sure, with the rollout of My Disney Experience the way some of us toured the parks using FastPass is gone. The new FP+ has some better features and some not as good ones. It is certainly not enough to make us give up on WDW, we have two trips reserved this year and more to come!

Maybe Yogi Berra would say "nobody goes to WDW anymore, it's too crowded because of FP+".

 

[glamdring269]

I have not enjoyed the extra work and planning it has taken to get both ADRs and FP+ that's for sure. And MDE is a giant pain with it constantly screwing up, showing ghost FP+ and the like so that is extremely annoying.

We just got home.... I have to say the MDE app was wonderful. We used it more than any other app. When the FastPass lines were longer then the standby lines we would save our fast pass and change it for later. We actually didn't need to use our fast pass a lot because those lines were longer than the standby lines. But using the app made it easy to move things around and to get information about the park and all kinds of things I was really impressed with the app. Yes I had to reset it from time to time but the magic bands, app, fast pass +, all worked great!!!

What rides did you find the FP line to be longer than the standby line? Please tell me these are old rides that are basically gaining in "popularity" because of FP+...

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

The first time I went to WDW I was 12, I am 39 now. I have brought my own kids through the years and it is different every time. I have gone 13 or 14 times in that time period. Sure it is different now then it was then. You can never get back to that first time. The first time you walk in is so magical and you want to recapture that moment. Over time things have changed some I like some I don't but only you can let the change ruin your entire experience. My family have things we love to do and want to do every time, but if we can't we move on. For us it is the entire experience, the rides, the smells, the characters, the food, the attention to details and always discovering something new. If you don't like the changes you don't have to go, but you know what, I would rather go with a change I don't like, and be there the next time WDW changes something that I will like.

 

[shalom]

Guess I am more of an optimist than I thought because I think they will get all of this mess figured out. Don't see a way they can't because they will lose business.

I think a lot of people feel betrayed because they've lost what they saw as a great deal -- lots of rides on the headliners with little waits at no extra cost. Hard to trust a company when you see it as having just betrayed you. But I think it'll work out fine as well. People who do their homework will always have an advantage over those who haven't, and there'll always be ways to tour WDW more efficiently.

But at the same time, I do think people who used FP- heavily are not going to be able to use FP+ the same way, and they aren't going to be able to take multiple rides on the headliners without more waiting in line. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney fiddles with FP+ or that removing tiers off season or adding more FPs per person is part of that fiddling, but no way is it going to match 6-9 FPs on the headliners a day at regular ticket prices. That can't be done for everyone, so it's not going to be possible for anyone.

OTOH, paying for extra FPs or getting more FPs depending on where you're staying are certainly possibilities Disney may roll out, I dunno. I don't see Disney having any problems with people buying multiple tickets in order to have more FPs in the same day, either -- even if people who do that spend less on food and souvenirs, that's likely balanced out by the cost of the second ticket. There'll be work arounds, for sure, they just won't be free anymore if you want multiple rides on the headliners.

 

[rock_doctor]

No Disney World is not broken. It is doing exactly what Disney wants it to do. Make gobs of money.

It is your problem that you spent $100 for 3 rides or can't find a chair at the pool or dinner seating or if you have to plan your ride order 6-mo in advance... (sarcasm)

 

[lifesgr8]

What rides did you find the FP line to be longer than the standby line? Please tell me these are old rides that are basically gaining in "popularity" because of FP+...

I cant really expain why but, I think the only one we really used our fp for was the thunder mountain railroad & peter pan & test track. It was a bit weird because we were there the same time as the brazilian groups who usually get in the "way" (lol!) anyway......if the fp line was long....we simply went in stand by. then we would change our fp to a later time and it worked out great. We did have a wheel chair it was the first time we have ever had this issue. I can honestly say I will for sure have a different mind set when I see the wheel chair situations in the parks. IE: give them more room, be more patient! I used to not be very happy to see them come in the line "butting" through the back entrance. At least that is what I thought was happening. In most cases we had to wait longer to get on the rides than the normal lines. I realize they did away with the GAC but, sometimes the cast members or people in line were not very nice and we ended up waiting longer for rides because of the wheel chair access. I was trying to read this entire thread but, it is getting way too long and depressing. Basically it is like this... we go to Disney because we love it, no matter the lines expense etc. Even a bad day at Disney is better than a day a work. If that is not the case for you anymore... stop going. It seems Disney is always revamping something. At DCA the entire park has been re-built and such the crowds have come and keep coming. It used to be our favorite park because it was always slow and will probably be again. Until the newness wears off..... we know to expect big crowds. When these new attractions open in the MK it will be the same way.. Im headed to plan my next trip and off to read more "happy" threads!

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think a lot of people feel betrayed because they've lost what they saw as a great deal -- lots of rides on the headliners with little waits at no extra cost. Hard to trust a company when you see it as having just betrayed you. But I think it'll work out fine as well. People who do their homework will always have an advantage over those who haven't, and there'll always be ways to tour WDW more efficiently.

But at the same time, I do think people who used FP- heavily are not going to be able to use FP+ the same way, and they aren't going to be able to take multiple rides on the headliners without more waiting in line. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney fiddles with FP+ or that removing tiers off season or adding more FPs per person is part of that fiddling, but no way is it going to match 6-9 FPs on the headliners a day at regular ticket prices. That can't be done for everyone, so it's not going to be possible for anyone.

OTOH, paying for extra FPs or getting more FPs depending on where you're staying are certainly possibilities Disney may roll out, I dunno. I don't see Disney having any problems with people buying multiple tickets in order to have more FPs in the same day, either -- even if people who do that spend less on food and souvenirs, that's likely balanced out by the cost of the second ticket. There'll be work arounds, for sure, they just won't be free anymore if you want multiple rides on the headliners.

Just pointing out that not everyone who used FP- to the fullest did so to ride headliners multiple times. On our trips in March/October, we could FP Buzz, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Mickey, a Princess as well as Thunder, Space and Splash. (and we did...well, except PP b/c it was closed).

IMO, 5-6 FP+s are necessary in MK so that families who have multiple interests (little kid rides and headliners) can experience some of both without having to be separated for (potentially) long periods of time to wait for headliners (assuming the family FP+s the younger rides, and like us have a small child that isn't allowed in the line)

 

[shalom]

Just pointing out that not everyone who used FP- to the fullest did so to ride headliners multiple times.

Yeah, I was using "headliners" to mean "attractions you could get with legacy FP." Which is apparently confusing, but I couldn't think of a better one-word substitute, and that post was full of clunky phrases as it was.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Yeah, I was using "headliners" to mean "attractions you could get with legacy FP." Which is apparently confusing, but I couldn't think of a better one-word substitute, and that post was full of clunky phrases as it was.

OK Even still, though - with all of that, we're not talking about multiple rides on the attractions listed...just getting to experience all of them once without having to be separated for long periods of time (for a family of 3 w/1 being a small child, and spring break mtn. SB waits that were easily 60 mins+)...

I dunno...the separation aspect is the hardest thing for me to swallow, since this is supposed to be the premier "family vacation" destination where *everyone* in the family can experience what they love together.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

When my children were very small, we chose not to ride attractions that they were not ready for. We skipped them altogether because we wanted to stay together as a family. I went almost 10 years, at least one trip per year, without riding the mountains. Didn't miss them one bit.

FP+ allows families to stay together. It only gets complicated when families want to split up, IMO.

 

[mom2rtk]

FP+ allows families to stay together. It only gets complicated when families want to split up, IMO.

......further limiting choices. Once again "Magic Your Way" becomes "Magic Our Way".

 

[Angel Ariel]

When my children were very small, we chose not to ride attractions that they were not ready for. We skipped them altogether because we wanted to stay together as a family. I went almost 10 years, at least one trip per year, without riding the mountains. Didn't miss them one bit.

FP+ allows families to stay together. It only gets complicated when families want to split up, IMO.

I'm sincerely very happy that that approach worked for you.

I've been pretty clear about us not wanting to split up. Under the old system (and rs) we didn't spend more than 10-15 mins apart for dh and I to ride the mtns. That wasn't a big deal...having to go through a long standby is different. It wasn't complicated at all

I think this is another case of differing touring styles working differently with fp+. If stayig away from adult rides worked well for you, that is great. It doesn't work for our family

 

[skater]

but no way is it going to match 6-9 FPs on the headliners a day at regular ticket prices. That can't be done for everyone, so it's not going to be possible for anyone.

Socialism at Disney.