Do you like the Fastpass+ system?

[Tomh]

Curious, how was paper FP better in regards to the bold?

With paper fast pass, I could go into DHS at rope drop, draw a FP for Toy Story that would be around 9:30 or so, ride standby with almost no wait, then ride again at 9:30 and immediately draw another Toy Story FP which would likely be for around 11:30. At 11:30 I could ride Toy Story a 3rd time, with almost no wait, and i *might* even be able to draw yet another Toy Story FP for around 6:00 or so, giving me a total of 3 or even 4 rides on Toy Story with almost no wait. There were no tiers, so as long as Toy Story FP's were available, you could get one, and they were pretty generally available until at least 10:30 in the morning, later if it wasn't super busy. That is just plain impossible now. Best you can do is 2 rides, one at Rope Drop, and one via FP+. Beyond that, you are waiting in a long line.

In between Toy Story rides, I could do pretty much everything else I wanted to in the park standby (we don't ride ToT or RnRC) with little to no wait. Seldom was the line for Star Tours more than 20 minutes. Muppets was a walk on. Lights Motors Action you needed to be there about 10 to 15 minutes before the show. Fantasmic if you went to the 2nd show you could get in line maybe 30 minutes before the show and get in with no problem.

The same applied with any popular ride, as long as it wasn't out of FP's, you could draw more, so you could re ride the popular rides a few times with FP, and then do everything else standby. Now, 7DMT is out of FP's 60 days out, there is absolutely 0 chance of drawing a same day FP for it, and you are only allowed to book one in advance, so no chance of riding it multiple times in one day without waiting in a long line.

 

[AngiTN]

With paper fast pass, I could go into DHS at rope drop, draw a FP for Toy Story that would be around 9:30 or so, ride standby with almost no wait, then ride again at 9:30 and immediately draw another Toy Story FP which would likely be for around 11:30. At 11:30 I could ride Toy Story a 3rd time, with almost no wait, and i *might* even be able to draw yet another Toy Story FP for around 6:00 or so, giving me a total of 3 or even 4 rides on Toy Story with almost no wait. There were no tiers, so as long as Toy Story FP's were available, you could get one, and they were pretty generally available until at least 10:30 in the morning, later if it wasn't super busy. That is just plain impossible now. Best you can do is 2 rides, one at Rope Drop, and one via FP+. Beyond that, you are waiting in a long line.

In between Toy Story rides, I could do pretty much everything else I wanted to in the park standby (we don't ride ToT or RnRC) with little to no wait. Seldom was the line for Star Tours more than 20 minutes. Muppets was a walk on. Lights Motors Action you needed to be there about 10 to 15 minutes before the show. Fantasmic if you went to the 2nd show you could get in line maybe 30 minutes before the show and get in with no problem.

The same applied with any popular ride, as long as it wasn't out of FP's, you could draw more, so you could re ride the popular rides a few times with FP, and then do everything else standby. Now, 7DMT is out of FP's 60 days out, there is absolutely 0 chance of drawing a same day FP for it, and you are only allowed to book one in advance, so no chance of riding it multiple times in one day without waiting in a long line.

Again, not the question I was asking. I thought I'd done well by putting in bold what I was asking about but clearly I was not. My question was to a specific point that a PP made

 

[Tomh]

No, that wasn't the question. It was specific to what PP posted, and I put in bold. PP said they didn't like FP+, that they were fussy and didn't want to take whatever time was available. I am confused on how that is worse with FP+ than it was with paper FP

You misread the PP's statement I think . .. . they said they were picky and didn't just want to take whatever was available . . . they didn't say whatever TIME, just whatever. I think whatever in this case was referring to whatever RIDE is available. Meaning before, you could get TSMM once, twice, three times if you wanted as long as you were fast about it. Now, you can get it once, and then you have to choose two other rides that shouldn't need FP to begin with.

 

[AngiTN]

You misread the PP's statement I think . .. . they said they were picky and didn't just want to take whatever was available . . . they didn't say whatever TIME, just whatever. I think whatever in this case was referring to whatever RIDE is available. Meaning before, you could get TSMM once, twice, three times if you wanted as long as you were fast about it. Now, you can get it once, and then you have to choose two other rides that shouldn't need FP to begin with.

I very well may have. Because it sure didn't make sense that paper FP would be better if you didn't want just whatever was available.

 

[Tomh]

I very well may have. Because it sure didn't make sense that paper FP would be better if you didn't want just whatever was available.

I think this is why the PP specifically mentioned the tiering . . . which doesn't affect times, it just affects what rides you can select. Honestly, in say EPCOT . . . do we REALLY need FP+ for Nemo, Figment (I love it, but FP+? Used to be I could walk on that ride all day long), Spaceship Earth? There are exactly 3 rides you need FP for, and you can only get one of them.

 

[AngiTN]

Tiering is the only part of FP+ that I am not a fan of.
The good news is, due to extra capacity on both Soarin' and TSMM (at HS) you can now get FP later on many days. We have many times. So things are improving in that regards. You can now FP TT and then ride 2 more rides and still get a FP for Soarin

And waits at both of those rides have halved, if you don't get a FP

 

[asbyrneva]

Don't love tiering but honestly I hated the Paper fast pass, although didn't know it until started using FP+. Literally would watch in the first hour at MK PP go from morning availability to 3:30 PM in the first hour and a half. What good is "full inventory" if you don't want to be in the park at 3:30? With a little one at the time we would go at rope drop and want to head out for nap before 3:30. Plus I can get lots of rides in during the time it used to take to run around the park criss crossing to get paper. Can you imagine hearing "can't get in a 15 minute line at Pirates cause I gotta run over to space Mountain and get another fast pass because my 'window' just opened up". Seriously?

I don't mind the planning, I like switching on the fly and getting something else if I hit a short line (yes I know I can't get everything but I couldn't get everything under the old system), and I like not spending my time running from fast pass machine to fast pass machine and checking when I can get the next one. I know some people loved the run and grab but i found it a waste of time.

 

[AngiTN]

Don't love tiering but honestly I hated the Paper fast pass, although didn't know it until started using FP+. Literally would watch in the first hour at MK PP go from morning availability to 3:30 PM in the first hour and a half. What good is "full inventory" if you don't want to be in the park at 3:30? With a little one at the time we would go at rope drop and want to head out for nap before 3:30. Plus I can get lots of rides in during the time it used to take to run around the park criss crossing to get paper. Can you imagine hearing "can't get in a 15 minute line at Pirates cause I gotta run over to space Mountain and get another fast pass because my 'window' just opened up". Seriously?

I don't mind the planning, I like switching on the fly and getting something else if I hit a short line (yes I know I can't get everything but I couldn't get everything under the old system), and I like not spending my time running from fast pass machine to fast pass machine and checking when I can get the next one. I know some people loved the run and grab but i found it a waste of time.

I often wonder if some forgot that. Could some just hate the new system so much they 1, won't give it a chance or 2, forget some of the drawbacks to the paper system. or 3, a bit of both.

 

[Jfsag123]

I love FP+. Wasn't excited about it when it was first changed over, but have ended up loving it. While it requires more planning upfront, it allows us to be more laid back on our actual trip because we know we have a guaranteed appointment to get on our must-dos. We still rope drop and that combined with FP+ means we get to do everything we want and more with almost no waiting. Once they switched from the kiosks to the app, booking extras throughout the day became really easy as well. We are going to Disneyland for the first time in over a decade in June (first time ever for the kids) and the thing I am least excited about is having to return to the legacy system.

 

[AquaDame]

Curious, how was paper FP better in regards to the bold?

As someone else said the day started with a blank slate - everything was available. As many people have mentioned too not everyone used the old system so there was more availability if you came at rope drop and were willing to criss cross the park to collect them. If a ride was popular your time was just later in the day - you didn't HAVE to ride 3 things (including two you don't care about *cough* EPCOT) in order to even get a 4th, you were eligible when your current FP window closed or two hours later whichever was earlier. Sometimes rides were detached from the system as well, so you could pull certain FPs and not even have them count so you could go grab another ride even. Back in the REALLY good days you could show up past your window and still ride, so you could collect them, go take a nap or swim and return in the evening to use them. I don't blame them at all for enforcing this, but when they didn't it was fun. I get what you are saying by gone slots are gone, but without everyone always picking three, or having your third fastpass not used up until the afternoon (or evening if you wanted to partake in a show) availability is much less. As you and others have said, many people also switch things up at the last minute and drop all day so its just endless checking if there is a ride you want to go on. Wondering if maybe we shouldn't wait 45 minutes or whatever now just in case it opens up later... or wondering how many people have times you could use that didn't even end up in the park that day... yeah, people pulled paper ones and didn't use them sometimes but at least there too you could pass them on to another person as we did many times. No "gifting" passes to sad kids at the entrance anymore. :/

No, that wasn't the question. It was specific to what PP posted, and I put in bold. PP said they didn't like FP+, that they were fussy and didn't want to take whatever time was available. I am confused on how that is worse with FP+ than it was with paper FP

I did not say time - I am cranky about the limitations and tiers versus the old system.

Again, not the question I was asking. I thought I'd done well by putting in bold what I was asking about but clearly I was not. My question was to a specific point that a PP made

Hopefully I explained myself well enough!

I very well may have. Because it sure didn't make sense that paper FP would be better if you didn't want just whatever was available.

Much less, in general, is available at opening and it is ever changing which is annoying. You got to the park, thought I want to go on X and went over to either right it right then if the line was short, or pulled a FP and went on to the next ride you want to go on, rinse repeat. When the FP was gone they were gone, you either got in line or chose not to, no more clicking refresh.

Tiering is the only part of FP+ that I am not a fan of.
The good news is, due to extra capacity on both Soarin' and TSMM (at HS) you can now get FP later on many days. We have many times. So things are improving in that regards. You can now FP TT and then ride 2 more rides and still get a FP for Soarin

And waits at both of those rides have halved, if you don't get a FP

I don't like the new Soarin' at all... way too much fake CGI animals and fluff that wasn't necessary in my opinion. I mainly run into issues in MK and once pandora opens AK as well. It also would have been nice to be able to FP a day AND night safari ride, but oh no, no can do there either.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't like the new Soarin' at all... way too much fake CGI animals and fluff that wasn't necessary in my opinion. I mainly run into issues in MK and once pandora opens AK as well. It also would have been nice to be able to FP a day AND night safari ride, but oh no, no can do there either.

That is actually a good thing. The night safari is awful

 

[AquaDame]

That is actually a good thing. The night safari is awful

We had a great time, lots of animals though the lights felt dumb. I'm sorry you didn't.

 

[gillep]

Don't love tiering but honestly I hated the Paper fast pass, although didn't know it until started using FP+. Literally would watch in the first hour at MK PP go from morning availability to 3:30 PM in the first hour and a half. What good is "full inventory" if you don't want to be in the park at 3:30? With a little one at the time we would go at rope drop and want to head out for nap before 3:30. Plus I can get lots of rides in during the time it used to take to run around the park criss crossing to get paper. Can you imagine hearing "can't get in a 15 minute line at Pirates cause I gotta run over to space Mountain and get another fast pass because my 'window' just opened up". Seriously?

I don't mind the planning, I like switching on the fly and getting something else if I hit a short line (yes I know I can't get everything but I couldn't get everything under the old system), and I like not spending my time running from fast pass machine to fast pass machine and checking when I can get the next one. I know some people loved the run and grab but i found it a waste of time.

I completely agree with the bolded, DH and I go to both DL and WDW, and my DL trips really make me appreciate FP+. A lot of people have said that they feel they have to plan more now with FP+, but I feel like we plan a lot less with it, and still hit everything that we want, but that's just my perception of using the two systems. We have even flown straight from WDW to DL, because it is often a layover for us to get home anyway, and it just feels so much more stressful and hectic running around and trying to strategize the best FP to pull next. I did hate FP+ when it first started though, it was horrible, and I hated being forced to choose 3 rides even if I knew I only wanted 1!

 

[Bullseye]

We never really used more than three or four in day with FP so the switch to FP+ was good for us. Now I know I have three rides reserved every day which makes standing in line for the other ones more tolerable.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

FP+ has definitely change the way I plan WDW trips. To me, FP+ is not over planning. I would say it is more of a bonus. I only say that, because going there for many trips, I have figured out which attractions I always want to get a FP for. I have also come up with my own "rhythm" for each park. In my case, wherever I book dining reservations helps me to know what park I am booking fastpasses in. The only planning I have to do with FP is what time I want to get them for.

 

[erc]

Haven't read all 8 pages, but just got back and my two cents. FP+ works best if you can pre-plan each day with morning FastPass selections. Because you will be able to get fourth and fifth and even sixth FP after. If you park-hop, it is even better. The real wrinkle in our trip just concluded is I only booked it 49 days out and by then the earliest Frozen FP I could get was for 5:30 PM. So that day was a bust as far as maximizing FP after the initial 3 were used. The correct strategy for afternoon and evening FP while hopping would be to RD one park and hop to the FP park.

When you did paper FP you had to physically go to the ride to obtain the FP. Being able to get a FP on a ride in another park from your smartphone is really pretty cool. But you still have to do quite a bit of planning. Every night I would lay in bed in our resort and go over the next day's plan on my phone and try to adjust based on changing situations.

The parks were pretty crowded over the last few days, but in three days of park-hopping (3 parks on one day w/o express transportation), and without resting RD to closing, we rode every single ride that we wanted to. It was exhausting (my legs are still cramping in the night) but we had a blast.

For Epcot, the only rides that really need FP are the Tier 1 rides. So it is almost not even worth using a FP on the other rides, and best to try to secure a 4th or 5th FP on the other Tier 1 rides, hopping back to Epcot if necessary.

All that being said, rides are only one aspect of the WDW experience. If you think of WDW as four parks of rides, then you miss the overall immersive experience. Even though we were somewhat in commando mode on this trip, we were still able to appreciate the little details that make WDW a unique place.

 

[shanethesaint88]

I have mixed feelings about FP+. On one hand I love it. On the other I don't like it all and wish the old FP would come back lol I really enjoy having three fast passes made 60 days out and having a semi plan for the day. I know most don't like that planning but it helps me calm my anxiety lol on the other hand however, I hate the tiering, I hate how you gotta look at your phone so much throughout the day, and I hate how there is rarely anything left that I want after I use my first 3 fastpasses. Especially at Epcot and HS. But I think overall I enjoy it more than I dislike it. I love using the magic bands for the fast passes and to charge. It's just so easy and convenient.

 

[Klayfish]

If you're getting to the park between 9 and 9:15, I would consider that rope drop. It's very different than showing up around 11am.

True. I was just using the more classical definition of rope drop that's often used here...showing up at 8am for a 9am park open.

Sure, the old system could be taken advantage of if you were a rope drop person (and you really did need to show up before park open then), and if you wanted to criss cross the park to make a run at everything you could get. What if you wanted to do a park closing day, where you showed up at 4pm and stayed until 11pm? You were pretty much up a creek trying to get a FP+ for a popular ride. That wasn't fun. With FP+, you don't need to do any of that. You can have all kinds of flexibility that paper FP didn't allow. Not only do you not have to show up early, run around the parks, etc...you can now even pick the time you want to ride. Couldn't do that with paper. To me, that's great progress.

I also don't see how it creates a disadvantage to getting on the more popular rides. Someone brought up TSMM earlier, and they were spot on in how that worked. In the old system, if you wanted to ride it more than once, you HAD to show up at rope drop. You HAD to make a mad dash toward the ride, then HAD to jump right in standby. That was the only way you were getting on. Within 45 minutes of park open, the FP+ were either gone or the return time was 8pm (and it was only 9:45am). We had plenty of days where we got to HS at 4pm because we wanted to stay for Fantasmic and had no interest in being in HS from 9am to 10pm. We just couldn't get on the ride that day, and that stunk. Now, with the FP+ system we can get on it at 6pm without waiting in line for 90 minutes. Plus, thanks to the third queue, if we get there right around park close time, we can ride it two or three times back to back with no wait. Again, great progress.

I don't understand how FP+ causes any issues for rides that don't really need FP+ anyway. In my eyes, it really has no effect on those rides. I don't particularly like the tiering either, but I totally understand why it's done. In my experience, outside of 7DMT and FEA, getting a 4th FP+ for the same day is a breeze...heck, sometimes we pick up a 4th FP+ that starts 10 minutes from the time we pick it.

 

[dlavender]

I don't understand how FP+ causes any issues for rides that don't really need FP+ anyway. In my eyes, it really has no effect on those rides. I don't particularly like the tiering either, but I totally understand why it's done.

It has given rides like Figment 45 minute waits sometimes. It has been shown that it has increased wait times on these lower tier rides.

So that everyone gets an opportunity to book 3 FP's, they had to expand the available FP's to almost every ride. I wish they would just offer FP on headliners, but I imagine there would be push back to those who wouldn't have the opportunity to book 3 if there weren't enough rides available. But, do you need that 9:30 AM Enchanted Tales with Bell FP?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Just commenting in general, but saying one likes FP+ but doesn't like the tiering makes no sense to me.

Tiering is FP+ in those parks that have it. If you don't like the tiering, you don't like FP+ (IMHO of course )