double dipping on fp is gone

[SharonS]

I'm sorry, but does anyone else think it is absolutely ridiculous to be saying they are surprised their is availability for FP for TSM on Christmas, which is still like 3 weeks away? It is just ridiculous to have to plan your rides this far in advance.

I am a huge Dianey person, but I cannot get on board with this. For years, I hVe travelled to the world 4 times a year. However, if this is truly the way it is going to be in the future and you have to book your rides 60 days out or wait an hour or more in standby, then sadly I have to say that I am done with Disney.

Please don't attempt to tell me that I don't truly love Disney then. My entire casual wardrobe is made up of Disney t shirts and sweatshirts. My house is loaded with Disney stuff, I am an AP holder and a DVC member. I am truly saddened by the way things ark have experienced MBs in October, and while it was nice to have the late afternoon fast passes booked, I also saw it have a very negative impact on standby lines

 

[LuvFFPlus]

I'm sorry, but does anyone else think it is absolutely ridiculous to be saying they are surprised their is availability for FP for TSM on Christmas, which is still like 3 weeks away? It is just ridiculous to have to plan your rides this far in advance.

I am a huge Dianey person, but I cannot get on board with this. For years, I hVe travelled to the world 4 times a year. However, if this is truly the way it is going to be in the future and you have to book your rides 60 days out or wait an hour or more in standby, then sadly I have to say that I am done with Disney.

Please don't attempt to tell me that I don't truly love Disney then. My entire casual wardrobe is made up of Disney t shirts and sweatshirts. My house is loaded with Disney stuff, I am an AP holder and a DVC member. I am truly saddened by the way things ark have experienced MBs in October, and while it was nice to have the late afternoon fast passes booked, I also saw it have a very negative impact on standby lines

I would not dare to question your love for Disney. We are all just speculating at this point to see at what stage FP+ will be completely out for Christmas and NYE. Purely for research purposes.

 

[Planogirl]

The comment about the lawsuit is really something else. Is there any law that Disney would be breaking by treating their own resorts differently from one another?

 

[Minniesgal]

Have no lawyers yet experienced the joy of MBs/FP+/MDE? Can you say "class action"? I knew you could...

On what grounds? Do Disney have a contractual obligation to provide a certain vacation experience? Next we will be having class action suits because shops stop sticking everyone's favourite item to buy.

 

[magicbob]

Well in that case, using your 3-year-old's FP to ride Space Mountain after you used your own and before your two hour wait is up it also against the rules. I am sure NO one has done that It falls into the same type of gray area that is not a written rule, but that does help circumvent a written rule, like using old KTTW cards.

We don't have any old KTTW cards that would work, but am glad that they kept FP- in place with current KTTW cards because we had major problems with our MBs, missed many FP+ reservations trying to get it all worked out with CS and were not compensated with ANY additional FP (or anything else like some other lucky people) for the ones we missed and hours we wasted getting it all figured out. We just would have been SOL.

So while some people want to end the "unfairness" that is double dipping, I see it as necessary until Disney can get their you-know-what straight.

I don't think we really disagree. Technically, the FP says it's "non-transferable" (to my knowledge that's the full extent of any "written rule" on the matter). But, as you said, that's a gray area when we're talking about using your 3-year old child's FP (or even giving one away that you aren't going to use after all).

But I don't think there's much gray when guests bring in expired KTTW cards to knowingly take advantage of an unintended "opportunity." Just because someone discovered that expired media will work in the FP- machines, doesn't mean it's right to do so. Yes, I get it. Disney has not published a written rule stating that it's not allowed. Should they even have to? And would they even think to since this is only possible by accident? Again, I get it. Once this "loophole" was discovered, they could have created the rule (or better yet, fixed the programming so it would not work). But they had bigger fish to fry with the debacle that is FP+. So they look the other way, knowing that it's not a rampant practice and soon enough it won't matter because those machines are getting ripped out anyway.

Back in the day, "slugs" would work in a Coke machine, but just because putting a slug in the machine instead of a quarter would work doesn't mean it wasn't stealing.

There's a world of difference between using someone else's valid FP and attaining that FP using invalid ticket media.

Conversely, I do agree that guests did nothing wrong in pulling FP- with valid KTTW cards that Disney issued in addition to their MBs. Disney told these guests to use both systems, so no broken rules. It may not be "fair" but it was Disney's decision to issue those guests a KTTW and tell them to pull FP- in addition to FP+. I defy anyone to provide an example of Disney telling guests to go ahead and bring in expired media to pull extra FP-.

Just relax.

Stay calm and get over it.

 

[shana398]

I'm here now POFQ and we are able to pull FP with our KTTW card and use our MBs for FP+.

 

[Jennasis]

A class action lawsuit? Seriously?? I'm a lawyer and all I can think is that this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.


And yes, I used FP+ and loved it. I won't love it if it stays tiered, but we don't know that it will. Just relax.

Can't tell those who are going NOW, while things are still tiered to "relax". Things as they are NOW affect those going NOW. I'm relaxed, since my trip isn't until next fall. Since who the heck knows what things will look like then, there isn't anything for me to get really freaked about. I do empathize greatly with those who are worried about their trips coming up in the immediate future.

 

[Mkrop]

Can't tell those who are going NOW, while things are still tiered to "relax". Things as they are NOW affect those going NOW. I'm relaxed, since my trip isn't until next fall. Since who the heck knows what things will look like then, there isn't anything for me to get really freaked about. I do empathize greatly with those who are worried about their trips coming up in the immediate future.

This is what I dont get...it is all great that certain posters are saying relax, this might not be what it is in the end. Well right now I dont care about the final product I care about my trip that starts this week! I dont care what WDW is calling it, this is no longer a test but a rollout and their "test" can affect the days I planned for WDW. This has not been relaxing having to uber plan this, and also waiting for the other shoe to drop, like will my resort be the next to go KTTW card. That is stressful. I dont want to stand in lines dealing with MB issues, we did that one year with dining plan credit issues and it truly stunk!

We will make the best of whatever comes our way bc we are together, and we will have fun. But this has not been one of those trips that I am as excitied about
'

 

[Erin1700]

This is what I dont get...it is all great that certain posters are saying relax, this might not be what it is in the end. Well right now I dont care about the final product I care about my trip that starts this week! I dont care what WDW is calling it, this is no longer a test but a rollout and their "test" can affect the days I planned for WDW. This has not been relaxing having to uber plan this, and also waiting for the other shoe to drop, like will my resort be the next to go KTTW card. That is stressful. I dont want to stand in lines dealing with MB issues, we did that one year with dining plan credit issues and it truly stunk!

We will make the best of whatever comes our way bc we are together, and we will have fun. But this has not been one of those trips that I am as excitied about
'

We arrive tonight and I completely agree with you!

 

[amylevan]

This is what I dont get...it is all great that certain posters are saying relax, this might not be what it is in the end. Well right now I dont care about the final product I care about my trip that starts this week! I dont care what WDW is calling it, this is no longer a test but a rollout and their "test" can affect the days I planned for WDW. This has not been relaxing having to uber plan this, and also waiting for the other shoe to drop, like will my resort be the next to go KTTW card. That is stressful. I dont want to stand in lines dealing with MB issues, we did that one year with dining plan credit issues and it truly stunk!

We will make the best of whatever comes our way bc we are together, and we will have fun. But this has not been one of those trips that I am as excitied about
'

I could care less what the final product looks like because I have no idea when we will be back.

What I care about is the tiered mess that my Jan trip is. And it is definitely looking like no KTTW card, so no FP- for us. So that means I get the joy of being in the stand-by line with my newly 40" tall DS for TT and/or Soarin'. Possibly both if he decides he loves 1 or the other and wants to re-ride.

At least he's not tall enough for RNR, and I only had to worry about TSMM.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I'm sure its been said many times before, but my biggest concern with FP+ is that it potentially kills any spontaneity. After the first couple days we like to hop parks (maybe more than once) and could do that with the knowledge that if we go to a park we could grab a fastpass or two and not have to worry about lines. Now the entire trip will have to be regimented and to the extent we park hop we'll have to do so without the use of fastpasses at one park. I'll withhold final judgment to see how it plays out for a few more months but as of right now we will not be booking our spring 2014 trip to Disney World. May head to Punta Cana instead.

And we like to ride the headliners multiple times. We'll ride Splash Mountain and BTMR 4-5 times each in one day, and we could do that because we arrive early in the morning when we can ride standby then grab a FP for later. Seems that may be difficult if not impossible now.

 

[angey77]

Some of the options for not liking FP+ on the survey sent to me did include park hopping and the limited number of FP+ one can book per day. I'm hoping since they were both mentioned more than once in varying questions, it is something being looked into QUICKLY.

 

[bastos]

I keep thinking that the standby lines may be shorter with the new FP+ for a few reasons.

1. The people that 'will not return' won't return.
2. Extended FP- use will be eliminated / curtailed.

With fewer people jumping the lines, or perhaps not there - or only able to use a FP once - the standby lines move faster.

 

[wordwitt]

This is what I dont get...it is all great that certain posters are saying relax, this might not be what it is in the end. Well right now I dont care about the final product I care about my trip that starts this week! I dont care what WDW is calling it, this is no longer a test but a rollout and their "test" can affect the days I planned for WDW. This has not been relaxing having to uber plan this, and also waiting for the other shoe to drop, like will my resort be the next to go KTTW card. That is stressful. I dont want to stand in lines dealing with MB issues, we did that one year with dining plan credit issues and it truly stunk!

We will make the best of whatever comes our way bc we are together, and we will have fun. But this has not been one of those trips that I am as excitied about
'

I'm sorry if my comment sounded cavalier. It was aimed primarily at the person who wanted to sue Disney in a class action lawsuit. I understand completely being unsettled by the current system if you are traveling to WDW in the near future. That said, the tried and true rope drop strategy appears to work well even now. Also, there's nothing any of us can do to change Disney's strategy during roll-out/testing, so anyone going during this time is going to have to work inside the parameters that Disney has established. So to the extent that a guest lacks a certain amount of control, I still think the best strategy is to relax and try to find a way to tour within those parameters. I am not saying it's ideal, but the first part of December is traditionally a low crowd time, which will help.

 

[Missyrose]

I keep thinking that the standby lines may be shorter with the new FP+ for a few reasons.

1. The people that 'will not return' won't return.
2. Extended FP- use will be eliminated / curtailed.

With fewer people jumping the lines, or perhaps not there - or only able to use a FP once - the standby lines move faster.

1. The people saying they won't return isn't even enough to be considered a drop in the bucket.

2. Just because people can't use multiple FP+s on a single ride doesn't mean there will be fewer people in the FP line (thereby making standby move faster). If there are 6,000 FPs per day at Soarin and before, 3,000 grabbed two FPs per day for the ride, that's 6,000 people in the FP line. Now, with only one FP per person, 6,000 different people will get FPs, but it's the same number of people in the FP line as before.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

I'm curious as to how you know it isn't a system-wide issue for such reservations?

I don't. I'm just guessing since we've only seen this one complaint.

WDW could not handle two rooms on the Dining Plan together and get the credits correct several years ago...it does not surprise me at all that the SYSTEM can not handle the sister's situation.

Guest Services told my sister that this isn't the first time it has happened and that it is with their system and NOT HER. She is still having the problem getting into the park every day.

 

[Mkrop]

I'm sorry if my comment sounded cavalier. It was aimed primarily at the person who wanted to sue Disney in a class action lawsuit. I understand completely being unsettled by the current system if you are traveling to WDW in the near future. That said, the tried and true rope drop strategy appears to work well even now. Also, there's nothing any of us can do to change Disney's strategy during roll-out/testing, so anyone going during this time is going to have to work inside the parameters that Disney has established. So to the extent that a guest lacks a certain amount of control, I still think the best strategy is to relax and try to find a way to tour within those parameters. I am not saying it's ideal, but the first part of December is traditionally a low crowd time, which will help.

It is not just you saying relax, it is a lof of posters too and it is frustrating. I think this has been an epic customer service fail for WDW. Asking people to sign up for testing, than after being locked in changing the parameters of the testing stinks. And if it is buggy enough that people are getting blue Mickey heads upon park entry etc, than the testing should have been completed before this rollout. NO GUEST should have to spend so much time at guest services dealing with a test for WDW while on vacation. No guest should show up and then have the rules changed on them. They should have had a rollout schedule, offered incentives to particpate like room discounts whatever, and let the conusmer decided if they were willing to risk their vacation dollars. If people at Pop knew that change was coming they should have been given options to switch resorts or given a discount for not having the same playing field as everyone else.

We are rope droppers so we will do a lot then and make the best of it. We have survived trips with messed up dining plans, sickness and record low temps, we will survive this. But it does not make me happy to be spending a ton of money with uncertainity attached to it and it doesnt make me relax that is for sure!

 

[pouncingpluto]

1. The people saying they won't return isn't even enough to be considered a drop in the bucket.

2. Just because people can't use multiple FP+s on a single ride doesn't mean there will be fewer people in the FP line (thereby making standby move faster). If there are 6,000 FPs per day at Soarin and before, 3,000 grabbed two FPs per day for the ride, that's 6,000 people in the FP line. Now, with only one FP per person, 6,000 different people will get FPs, but it's the same number of people in the FP line as before.

Say that there are 3000 A people and 3000 B people. The A people all got 2 FP for Space Mountain. The B people all rode standby. Now the A people only get 1 FP a piece, and the B people get those FP instead. It is plausible that standby lines will go down because:

1. A lot of the A people aren't willing to do standby to ride Space a second time, so they only ride once a day instead of twice.

2. A lot of the B people don't care about riding Space twice. So they never enter the standby line either.

 

[g-dad66]

What I care about is the tiered mess that my Jan trip is. And it is definitely looking like no KTTW card, so no FP- for us. So that means I get the joy of being in the stand-by line with my newly 40" tall DS for TT and/or Soarin'. Possibly both if he decides he loves 1 or the other and wants to re-ride.

The standby line at "Rope Drop" won't be long, so if you do one at RD, and have FP+ for the other, that will give you at least one ride on each without much wait.

Epcot has typically been opening at 8:45, although the day we were there in mid-November, they didn't open until 8:57.

 

[xie]

I'm sure its been said many times before, but my biggest concern with FP+ is that it potentially kills any spontaneity. After the first couple days we like to hop parks (maybe more than once) and could do that with the knowledge that if we go to a park we could grab a fastpass or two and not have to worry about lines. Now the entire trip will have to be regimented and to the extent we park hop we'll have to do so without the use of fastpasses at one park.

We are AP holders (until next May anyway). We have always park hopped, going to one park in the morning/early afternoon, then leaving to rest, then going to a park for the evening (sometimes the same one, often a different one, since for example there's no AK at night).

For the first time ever, our upcoming NYE trip has NO park hopping days planned. Due to booking FP+, there aren't any split park days at all in our schedule. One park per day, period. Table meals are even scheduled in the same park as the FP+'s because the times are spread out just far enough that it's impractical to leave to eat. Given that it will be Xmas/NY week, I do not expect to be able to reschedule FP on the fly much, if at all.

We've been going to Disney for many years. Some years we buy APs, some years we just buy park hopper length of stay passes, depending on how many days we'll be at WDW that year. However, in future, I can already tell that 1) we will no longer want to buy park hopper length of stay passes, since park hopping is a bit nerfed (unless you're only hopping for a parade/fireworks event or a meal), and 2), unless we stay so many days that an AP becomes cheaper than a regular length of stay non-hopping park pass, we won't buy APs anymore either.

Since I haven't been there yet, I won't leap to judgement right now on how well or poorly the FP+ system might be working. I just foresee some changes that might not be ideal, such as FP booking times making it harder to leave the park to eat at a resort or different park, and making the purchase of park hopper tickets pretty much a waste of money (at least in peak season - park hoppers will still probably be fine in lower times when standby lines are short and FPs are not utilized as much).