Do you like the Fastpass+ system?

[Tomh]

I'd say its more controversial than that.

I'm merely passing along information. Everyone here is free to use, or not use it as they see fit.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Now that the OP has received 13 pages of responses to her yes/no question, moving to TP Community.

 

[Boski]

I'm merely passing along information. Everyone here is free to use, or not use it as they see fit.

I get it and it really wasn't a direct comment to you, its just that IMO the "controversies" surrounding it are underrepresented on this board.

 

[huskies90]

Yep. Folks here have touched on it. It really is not all that innovative or "slick" and it is not tricking the system. The big advantage now, is that people cancel fastpasses all the time all day for all attractions. When the paper fastpassess were gone, they were gone. But the new system allows for new fastpasses to pop up all the time including headliners. And it is much easier to grab them online rather than waking up at 8AM and running to FP machine to hoard fp's for the day.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

When you say you have to be "innovative" what do you mean? It seems like a pretty straight forward system to me.

Let's just say that there are ways to get more than 3 FP+ per day - a lot more. Folks here get upset when these ways are discussed, so I will not go into details.

 

[IrishNYC]

I guess what I don't understand about the criticism of FP+ (and WDW in general) is that it requires planning things in advance. WDW is not unique in this respect. Regardless of where I'm traveling on vacation, I will spend a considerable amount of time planning the trip. For me, there is no difference in the amount of time I spend planning a WDW vacation than planning a trip to a place like NYC. For both, I spend time planning and researching where to stay, where to eat, what attractions/activities I want to see, etc.

And "messing up" the schedule/plan has penalties in the "real" world, just like WDW. The last time we went to NYC, I didn't plan our timing well for getting to the dock to ride out to the Statue of Liberty. As a result, we were stuck in line waiting to board the ferry for almost 90 minutes. Can the same thing happen at WDW due to poor planning? Yep, it happens all the time. On that day, in NYC, we were "that family." On other days, in WDW, we've been "that family."

And I get it - for some people vacation =/= planning. But just like you could go to NYC, or DC, or wherever and "wing it," you can do the same at Disney. You won't get as much done as other people who planned, and your vacation will be less efficient, but if you don't want the stress of planning, the option is there for you to ignore FP+ and ADRs. Just go, have fun with your family, and enjoy not being at work. Or schedule a few FP the day of, on your phone on the bus riding to whatever park you chose. There will be attractions available, even headliners, with very few exceptions.

Not having a plan would be stressful for me. Everyone has different wants/needs from a vacation, so if FP+ stresses you out, then don't use it, or use it sparingly. Just realize that you're making that choice, and while that choice works for you, the choice of using FP+ works for others.

I've only caught up this far, so far, but I think this post sums up Disney vacation planning really well. It's no different than going anywhere else where you need to book things in advance, and that's truly the way things are becoming everywhere. Even living in NYC, if I want to go to the Statue of Liberty, or to the observation deck at 1WTC, I have to plan in advance for it, and book a time. I just looked now, and there's plenty of availability today (and I don't know what availability is normally) but I wonder if it has anything to do with cancellations or rescheduling because visibility is terrible today. On the other hand, if I spontaneously wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty today, I could be there in under an hour from the sofa I'm sitting on right now, but I'd get there and be out of luck. There's no availability to get up to the crown until 3pm on July 18, and the next availability is July 21. I can't go somewhere less than 10 miles from my house until July. So, it does take planning to go most places these days.

Even if you go on a cruise, many cruise lines still make you pick a dining time when you book, or you have to book a time for premium dining in some cases.

Last summer we went to Cape Cod for vacation, as we do every few years. While our plan is generally to play it by ear based on the weather, DD did request to go on a whale watch. It needed to be planned in advance, including the time. Sure, we could have shown up at the dock that day and hoped to get on a sailing, but a random time wouldn't have worked for us.

With information at most people's fingertips today, there's no reason to eschew the ability to plan in favor of "the good ol' days" because those days are as gone as 99 cent gas.

 

[IrishNYC]

After reading the whole thread it seems that the people who really like FP+ are the ones who go every year of more than once a year. For most of us this is not the case and this new system seems to pretty much suck. I'm dreading my trip because we do see this as a theme park for rides. I am not spending thousands of dollars to sit around looking at details. If you can go so often that you can do that then great but for most of us these trips are few and far between.

We are definitely not a go every year family, we're every 3-4 years right now. In fact we are a "refused to go with the old FP system" family, and I'm holding out on DLR (in combination with a general west coast trip) until they do away with it, too.

 

[bdarling]

The big advantage now, is that people cancel fastpasses all the time all day for all attractions. When the paper fastpassess were gone, they were gone. But the new system allows for new fastpasses to pop up all the time including headliners. And it is much easier to grab them online rather than waking up at 8AM and running to FP machine to hoard fp's for the day.

I agree with this. We found RnR at 7pm and often Star Tours, which is my favorite ride. We released 3 Safari for midday because it was too hot and we wanted to swim instead, and released 1 of our 5 FEA one night because the 5th person wanted to snack and hold the Imaginations spot near there. He was also a grumpy 72yo guy so that also played a factor

 

[Texans_loyal]

The record for using FPs within 1 park day, without using any type of alternative method, is 21 FPs.

A group of 2 guests in MK on a day when it had rained heavily in late afternoon achieved this record that was shared when FP was its own subforum.

By booking their next FP as soon as they entered the FP line and choosing rides in close proximity, they scored 21 FPs that day.

Definitely doable! we went in Jan and there were headliners still available till 9 PM. I wish I took screenshots

 

[Disneylover99]

I hated fp+ when it was first introduced. But I've mellowed over the years. I don't have any strong feelings either way anymore. I see the benefits of both systems.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Yep. Folks here have touched on it. It really is not all that innovative or "slick" and it is not tricking the system. The big advantage now, is that people cancel fastpasses all the time all day for all attractions. When the paper fastpassess were gone, they were gone. But the new system allows for new fastpasses to pop up all the time including headliners. And it is much easier to grab them online rather than waking up at 8AM and running to FP machine to hoard fp's for the day.

Who was running to the old FP machines? I certainly never did. I walked through the parks and as I encountered rides I wanted to ride, I'd grab a FP while there. It was extremely easy and efficient.

Now, I do have a question as I haven't been to WDW in a while because I don't like what it's becoming. But anyways, my question is, can people get additional FP+ on their phone or do they still have to go to the stupid kiosk stations, wait in line, and get their additional FP+ that way?

 

[AngiTN]

Who was running to the old FP machines? I certainly never did. I walked through the parks and as I encountered rides I wanted to ride, I'd grab a FP while there. It was extremely easy and efficient.

Now, I do have a question as I haven't been to WDW in a while because I don't like what it's becoming. But anyways, my question is, can people get additional FP+ on their phone or do they still have to go to the stupid kiosk stations, wait in line, and get their additional FP+ that way?

Everything is on the phone

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Everything is on the phone

I'll try it on my next trip and give my thoughts though I'm guessing I'll be getting additional FP+ for Small World and Swiss Family (exaggeration) rather than 7D and Peter Pan.

 

[Disneylover99]

I'll try it on my next trip and give my thoughts though I'm guessing I'll be getting additional FP+ for Small World and Swiss Family (exaggeration) rather than 7D and Peter Pan.

You may very well need that Small World fp, which is one of the downsides of fp+.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

You may very well need that Small World fp, which is one of the downsides of fp+.

Ears can't take it anymore.

 

[Angel Ariel]

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.

Or 4. It wasn't their experience that they couldn't get everything they wanted.

We've done DLR now for the past 2 years. We've not had problems getting FPs for pretty much whatever we wanted over the course of the trip (during a holiday weekend, with a RunDisney event and the opening of the holiday season at DLR - so, yes, it was busy). Which is very similar to the experience we had with WDW when it had legacy FP.

 

[Angel Ariel]

One morning the ride was down at opening so we had to make repeated trips back to the kiosks to see if they were distributing FP yet

Why did you have to make trips back to see if they were distributing FPs yet? The Disneyland app has this information in the app. There's no need to physically go to the kiosk to see if (or what time) FPs are being distributed.

 

[mom2rtk]

Or 4. It wasn't their experience that they couldn't get everything they wanted.

We've done DLR now for the past 2 years. We've not had problems getting FPs for pretty much whatever we wanted over the course of the trip (during a holiday weekend, with a RunDisney event and the opening of the holiday season at DLR - so, yes, it was busy). Which is very similar to the experience we had with WDW when it had legacy FP.

Our experience as well. Only our experience is for the past 4 years at DLR. And we've hit some very busy days as well. Same as our experience with legacy for years at WDW before that.

We did ok when we tried FP+ at WDW. But we used lots of extra "inside tricks". I'm quite sure I wouldn't like FP+ without the extra "help". And even with the "help" I still like legacy FP better. For me it's about the spontaneity and ability to start each park day with a blank slate.

 

[AngiTN]

Why did you have to make trips back to see if they were distributing FPs yet? The Disneyland app has this information in the app. There's no need to physically go to the kiosk to see if (or what time) FPs are being distributed.

But how new is that info on their app?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Same here. We found paper FP a negative at DL. We wanted to ride RSR at night but didn't want to wait for hours in line. There is really no way to pull a paper FP for a night ride. Not without pure luck.

It really isn't pure luck. The Disneyland app lists the return times being currently distributed by the FP machines. If one really wanted to have a night time FP, just look at the app every interval you decide (whether that's 30 min, 15, whatever you decide). Not saying that's not effort (it is), but it's not pure luck. We managed to pull nighttime FPs specifically when we were there, and we weren't checking our phones. Just happened to look while we were eating at Pacific Wharf. Saw a nighttime return time, and decided to go get them.

Nor can you get a FP if you show up an hour after the park opens. I just can't see how that is a better system. But, that's ok. FP+ isn't for everyone. Paper FP isn't for everyone. I venture to guess there is nothing in this world that is liked by everyone.

While I don't debate that there are certain times of year where RSR is gone for the day within an hour of opening, that is not the norm any more. Noon-2pm is more normal than within an hour of opening, from our experience.