double dipping on fp is gone

[amylevan]

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.

Yes, we are traditionally rope droppers, so I understand I can get in line at opening (for 1 ride) and not wait.

My point is that Mr. and Mrs. Smith staying at the cheaper off-site hotel will be able to pull FP- for TT and Soarin' all day. I am restricted to 1. Lucky us.

 

[Eastern]

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.

I would just get your FP+ for later. I still think a rope drop strategy will work because late sleepers are going to be late sleepers no matter what, FP+ or no.

But my biggest complaint is still the amount of planning that has to be done in advance.

 

[clsteve]

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.

I'm concerned that RD may change a bit once everyone is on the system since FP+ times are starting at Park opening. I sure hope it doesn't.

 

[Eastern]

My point is that Mr. and Mrs. Smith staying at the cheaper off-site hotel will be able to pull FP- for TT and Soarin' all day.

I just don't think that this is going to happen. Got to be some incentive to stay on site.

 

[AmyB2006]

I just don't think that this is going to happen. Got to be some incentive to stay on site.

I think amylevan is talking about for her specific trip coming up. Not indefinitely into the future. I could be wrong though.

 

[amylevan]

I think amylevan is talking about for her specific trip coming up. Not indefinitely into the future. I could be wrong though.

Yes. My trip, in jan.

Again, the future really means nothing to me. 6 weeks from now is all i care about.

 

[Missyrose]

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).

I just want to make sure that you know you can change the times of each individual FP+ reservation. So if you wanted to leave the park for dinner, you can schedule one FP+ for before dinner and two more for later in the evening when you return to the park.

 

[Emily_H]

Here now...have MB's and FP+ options...staying at Pop so no KTTW card. Like being able to schedule FP's, but bc we park hop, we really miss getting to be able to FP attractions in multiple parks. Waitress told us we could opt out of MB's but it was probably too late by then. Definitely have mixed feelings about FP+!!

 

[LuvFFPlus]

Yes. My trip, in jan.

Again, the future really means nothing to me. 6 weeks from now is all i care about.

I hope you will be able to enjoy your trip in 6 weeks. I understand the changes doesn't help at the moment but it will settle down later and new touring strategies will be developed again.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yes, we are traditionally rope droppers, so I understand I can get in line at opening (for 1 ride) and not wait.

My point is that Mr. and Mrs. Smith staying at the cheaper off-site hotel will be able to pull FP- for TT and Soarin' all day. I am restricted to 1. Lucky us.

Yeah, but they really won't because they FP-s run out so quickly now. (most likely)

 

[Jeslynb]

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!

I think this pretty much sums up how I felt about things. I didn't know about all the changes/testing/FP+ when I booked this trip. I would have preferred to make a more informed choice. Posting about one's annoyance on this board - perfectly understandable annoyance imo - was often met with "have fun at Universal"-type juvenile snark. I suppose I understand that kind of response if someone is having an internet meltdown/flounce, but it hardly seems warranted in most cases.

For us, FP+ rollout was what tipped the scales towards staying offsite. We're here now and FP- worked fine, crowds are low and we're having a ball. But I think Disney has it's head screwed on backwards with the way it's treated customers during this roll-out, especially it's resort guests. Time will tell.

 

[skier_pete]

Yeah, but they really won't because they FP-s run out so quickly now. (most likely)

Regular FPs for TSMM ran out at 9:40 AM on our trip in November. The FP+ folks still have a definite advantage in that they don't have to be in line for a FP at rope drop in order to get one.

I personally think the advantages of FP+ will outweight the disadvantages. I only wish they would not restrict to only 3 per day.

 

[Jeslynb]

Yeah, but they really won't because they FP-s run out so quickly now. (most likely)

FP- has been fine all day this week.

 

[lugnut33]

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.

Unfortunately that possible "faster" will be negated by the amount of time it takes to scan in the magic bands.

 

[rebbyparker]

FP- has been fine all day this week.

I want Planogirl to hear this. We've been fretting over what the situation was going to for our respective upcoming trips. I'm so glad I'm offsite now and I'm thinking the trip will be just fine. Thanks, Jeslynb, this makes me so happy.

 

[xie]

I just want to make sure that you know you can change the times of each individual FP+ reservation. So if you wanted to leave the park for dinner, you can schedule one FP+ for before dinner and two more for later in the evening when you return to the park.

I understand that you CAN, it's just not practical for the busiest park week of the year.

The ADRs were made at 180 days because otherwise you won't get one for that particular week. On certain days, NYE for example, the traffic is bad and the lots get full, and the park may close at capacity. So on those days the ADRs are IN the park because leaving, even for a monorail resort, isn't wise.

I will be pleasantly surprised if any of our FP can be rearranged while we are there, given the week it is and the max crowd levels that week. So as soon as FP+ became available for our dates, I refreshed the FP offerings until I found something semi-acceptable that would fit around the ADRs we made months ago.

Anyway, yes I get that you can do it, but no I don't think it's going to be practical at all times of year. We simply won't be park hopping this trip at all, thanks to the required pre-scheduling for FP and ADRs.

 

[LindsR]

This may have already been answered - but didnt have the time to wade through all the different responses.

We are annual passholders and have not been back since May of this year. We have a trip planned for January 22nd week (2014) - and are staying at Pop Century. We were given the magic band option and have set our fast passes. We were disappointed that not all fast pass options were available, and no park hopping option available.

Since it is only 2 adults going, we are avid park hoppers, twice, maybe 3 different ones a day. Since we knew we wanted to parkhop, we made all of our 3 FP all in the AM. Since our MB will also be our roomkey at Pop Century - we will only be newly issued our MB, but we still have our AP cards. Since we are participating in MB and staying at Pop - we will not be able to use our AP card for old FP kiosks, correct?

We are sadly disappointed - we chose all of our FP+ before noon on all days, so we could park hop. Is there a better way to do this - or by some chance will our AP card work for old FP?

Any advice would be great since we are new to the MB and sounds like Pop Century is the "double whammy".

 

[KrazeeK120]

So as soon as FP+ became available for our dates, I refreshed the FP offerings until I found something semi-acceptable that would fit around the ADRs we made months ago.

That isn't necessary. You can just just select whatever it gives you and then go back into each FP+ manually and choose whatever time you want (provided that the time you want is available). You don't have to stick with their pre-set choices if you don't want to.

 

[Robo]

This may have already been answered - but didnt have the time to wade through all the different responses.

We are annual passholders and have not been back since May of this year. We have a trip planned for January 22nd week (2014) - and are staying at Pop Century. We were given the magic band option and have set our fast passes. We were disappointed that not all fast pass options were available, and no park hopping option available.

Since it is only 2 adults going, we are avid park hoppers, twice, maybe 3 different ones a day. Since we knew we wanted to parkhop, we made all of our 3 FP all in the AM. Since our MB will also be our roomkey at Pop Century - we will only be newly issued our MB, but we still have our AP cards.


1- Since we are participating in MB and staying at Pop - we will not be able to use our AP card for old FP kiosks, correct?

We are sadly disappointed - we chose all of our FP+ before noon on all days, so we could park hop.

2- Is there a better way to do this - or by some chance will our AP card work for old FP?

3- or by some chance will our AP card work for old FP?

Any advice would be great since we are new to the MB and sounds like Pop Century is the "double whammy".

1 & 3- That may or may not be the case during your trip.

2- Another idea would be to schedule your FP+ choices for the SECOND park of the day.
That way, you can ride standby at the first park in the mornings when the lines are generally shorter,
then be "guaranteed" FP's to ride at the park that you hop to in the afternoon.
All up to you, of course.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Since it is only 2 adults going, we are avid park hoppers, twice, maybe 3 different ones a day. Since we knew we wanted to parkhop, we made all of our 3 FP all in the AM. Since our MB will also be our roomkey at Pop Century - we will only be newly issued our MB, but we still have our AP cards. Since we are participating in MB and staying at Pop - we will not be able to use our AP card for old FP kiosks, correct?

Yes, you will be able to use your AP cards to get paper FPs, as many people have reported. It's the KTTW cards, not the AP cards, that have had the magnetic strips demagnetized so they dont' work in the FP kiosks. As long as the kiosks are there, you should be able to use them with your ticket media (AP cards). The only people who are affected by this new change are those whose tickets only exist on the MBs. If you have physical ticket media, you should be good to go.