Do you like the Fastpass+ system?

[daf]

This is my first trip to WDW since they started with the FP+ system.
Is it just me, or does this make planning MUCH more stressful and less fun?
I feel like:
1. I'm not doing it right
2. There's too much planning now (and I used to LOVE planning for WDW)
3. There's too much to read about strategies
4. feels like all we're going to accomplish is 3-5 rides a day at best, and it seems like we're going to be waiting in line much more than back when there was regular fastpass.

Is it just me?

 

[Praying Colonel]

This is my first trip to WDW since they started with the FP+ system.
Is it just me, or does this make planning MUCH more stressful and less fun?
I feel like:
1. I'm not doing it right
2. There's too much planning now (and I used to LOVE planning for WDW)
3. There's too much to read about strategies
4. feels like all we're going to accomplish is 3-5 rides a day at best, and it seems like we're going to be waiting in line much more than back when there was regular fastpass.

Is it just me?

I don't like FP+. I much prefer the legacy FP system.

I also preferred the DDP when it included app & tip, preferred Le Cellier when it was a 1 credit restaurant and preferred E ride nights. Things change and all we can do is adapt.

 

[Klayfish]

I love the FP+ system, much better than the old paper ones.

I'm not a big planner...OK truth be told, I'm hardly a planner at all when it comes to WDW. However, FP+ is one thing we do "plan", though I'd hardly call it hard work planning. For us, strategy almost never comes into play, nor any other stress. We simply pick the park we want to be in and pick rides we want to go on. Simple as that. That guarantees us 3 rides, and we fill the time between FP+ with other rides that have smaller standby queues. We easily ride 7 rides before lunch (and we don't rope drop)...with very little planning. Then we'll often pick up a 4th FP+.

We also tend to switch FP+ fairly often, which is easier than most people think. No, we can't get FEA or 7DMT last minute, but beyond that, it's pretty easy to swap on the fly.

I love it.

 

[daf]

I don't like FP+. I much prefer the legacy FP system.

I also preferred the DDP when it included app & tip, preferred Le Cellier when it was a 1 credit restaurant and preferred E ride nights. Things change and all we can do is adapt.

True. I thought maybe I'm missing something and it's actually great

 

[mickeysgirl17]

The new system is definitely more complicated and does take more planning. I also have not been back since they started fp+. I loved paper fastpass. IMO, there is more anxiety about being able to do everything in our plan because of the fear of fastpasses running out once we are there and lines being too long to ride. Now that people can book them in advance, there are a lot less availability on the day of so you won't know what's left until your there and use the first 3 you booked in advance. For those of "commando" planners, its hard to not have stress if things are up in the air until we arrive.

 

[kmb584]

I don't mind the FP+ system. I actually like going to WDW knowing that we have 3 FP+ booked for each day, instead of knowing that we'd be crisscrossing the park to get legacy FP. I also enjoy the fact that after we've used all 3, I only have to take out my phone to book a 4th.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

If you like to sleep in, the new system is great. Under the old system, if you slept in, you missed out on FP to all of the hot rides.

If you are a rope dropper, the old system was much, much better and provided for complete flexibility since the FP could be used at any time after its start time.

 

[dreiwhit]

We don't have a problem with it, but my wife and I are by nature planners.

I will admit its pretty hard to get a 4th FP for the popular rides.

 

[mom2rtk]

If you like to sleep in, the new system is great. Under the old system, if you slept in, you missed out on FP to all of the hot rides.

If you are a rope dropper, the old system was much, much better and provided for complete flexibility since the FP could be used at any time after its start time.

Except that the "go to" advice to ride the stuff you can't FP (because of tiers and no re-rides on advance FPs) is...... wait for it...... to get there at rope drop.

 

[loves to dive]

It doesn't bother me, we didn't use the old system that much, it always felt like the running of the bulls and people would get them and hoard them. Just too much work for us. In all honesty, we rarely use the new one that much. We tend to pick our park by what is the first bus to arrive if we are staying at a moderate and if we are staying at an Epcot resort, we spend most of our time at Epcot and HS. Since we rarely even know what park we are going to be in until the morning of, we don't book FPs until that time. We aren't mega ride centric though and we aren't huge planners. We ride what we can, if we have to stand in line, so be it, since we have been going for so long, we remember when there wasn't a fast pass and you had to stand in line so that is just what we do.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

For a family with members who like to sleep in, FP+ is great. We had never gotten to ride TSMM before FP+ because they were always gone before we got to the park. Now I know I get to Ride TSMM, TOT and Star Tours with little wait every time I go to DHS. Getting a fourth FP+ on the phone is a great bonus also.

 

[Elle23]

I love it! Worked great for us on our trip!

 

[daf]

What a

If you like to sleep in, the new system is great. Under the old system, if you slept in, you missed out on FP to all of the hot rides.

If you are a rope dropper, the old system was much, much better and provided for complete flexibility since the FP could be used at any time after its start time.

We do sleep in, which is partially why I worry that we won't get in time for our 10am FP+'s. And I'm also afraid that there will be no faspasses left after I use up my 3.
It's just too stressful for me.

 

[PSUGuy]

I'm content with the current system especially as it allows us to enter WDW the first day with FP+ choices in hand for that afternoon. If we strolled into Epcot around 11 as we usually do on arrival TT and Soarin' would have long standby waits and the FP window would be in the evening probably.

Bill From PA

 

[Accident]

The old system sucked for someone who doesn't rope drop so I don't miss it and never got a fastpass on the old system that I used.

The new system sucks for planning out your trip but overall I do like the new system and it has been improved since it first came out.

 

[dlavender]

I don't like being locked into park days 30-60 days out. You literally aren't locked out, but if a week or two out you want to move your MK day, you are kind of stuck. You have to give up your FP's and hope for the best.

 

[daf]

Plus, I don't get a full hour of concentration at work because of planning for DW!!! 0_0

 

[huskies90]

The new system is exponentially better than the paper system for many many reasons. In my opinion, people here on disboards give great help and information but tend to over complicate things - especially for those who are newer and have less experience.

 

[Klayfish]

It doesn't bother me, we didn't use the old system that much, it always felt like the running of the bulls and people would get them and hoard them.

Yep, I can't say that I miss the days of standing in line at HS waiting for the park to open (I hate RD anyway), then being in the stampede of people literally running to TSMM so they could get a paper FP+. Invariably, I'd get behind someone who was part of a tour group, or had the passes for all 20 people in their family. They'd stand at the machine for an eternity grabbing passes, which meant my FP+ time got later and later. I had a few choice words with more than one of those people. Can't say I'd want to go back to that system.

 

[srauseo]

Having recently gone to Disneyland I can say without qualification that I prefer FP+. Having to crisscross between two parks multiple times per day to get paper FP was really annoying and time consuming. Also, when a ride is down, as Radiator Springs Racers was one morning, you could not get a FP, so we had to return to the kiosk multiple times to try and get a paper FP. I felt like we wasted so much time walking to kiosks and waiting in line at kiosks. Also, on race day we got to the park late (post-race brunch was a disaster) and FP for many headliners were already gone. It would have been great to schedule some in advance. All this said, I am a planner and I like working on my Disney itinerary.