You also need to factor in the way TAs sell you WDW packages and tickets.
Go to any website selling WDW tickets, such as Undercovertourist or any other mentionned over DISboard. And you'll see that they strongly emphasize the fact that FPs are included in "their" tickets".
Even though FPs are supposed to be free (as they currentely are) TAs advertise them as options, just as if they were hopper or water park options.
For those of us who are used to WDW, this almost seems as ridiculous as seeing an ad saying that if you buy the tickets you'll get unlimited free access to lavatories across the parks...
But to the general public, this introduces the idea that FP is an option you paid for, or even if it was included in your tickets, it's not a free option, therefore you should use it as much as you can. And as a result, touring plans (and the likes) made it very public that FPs "had to" be used past the return time to make them worth your money ...
So in a sense, all the use we've made of the "valid all day" FP has just been paving the way for selling a new form of fastpass, and we got to test drive some of its features.
It's also very ironical that by taking advantadge of the "loophole" we were just "beta testing". I wonder if this loophole was left open on purpose until now.
Now I'd like to react to the "class system" and some issue about "what are people gonna think if they see me enter a "resort only line" (granted that any of this ever happens) ...
Well, if this is all that worry some of us, let's say they already have enough to worry about.
There are so many things that are telling about the class system. It's everywhere. Are you flying in to WDW, then what about the air fare ? Are you driving ? then how does your car rate compared to the next guest's ? How about the brands you wear, the make of your camera ? Do you pay with a classic, premier, gold or platinum credit card in shops, restaurants ... oh no, wait you're on the
DDP, you must be a resort guest you charge it to a KTTW ... and so on and so forth.
Now the fact is that with so many different offers, sales, flash sales, discounts (etc) class is relative. there is really no way to know for sure how much somebody paid for what they got. If some people were to judge me from just the first glance of the queue I'm standing in, well ... they might just go ... (well you know ...)
After all it all depends on what you expect from a trip to Disney's. If you're on a ride or die mood, yeah, it might become a problem. But then, advance reservation might sound good news too. But after all, if it's ride, ride and ride again, that's only you who decided to play it hard. Some other guests like it when they go with the flow. I sure do.
If there is no time window for FP or if the line is too long, well so be it, will try again later or tomorrow, there are so many other things to do in Orlando, even outside the World (didn't you know that ?).
And as I think of it very few of my best memories at Disney's come from riding the headliners, but from so many other things I would probably not have been able to enjoy if I was on a ride hunt ...
If you're all in for the rides, treat yourself with a few days at Busch Gardens, and as some PP said, that would make lines shorter for those who'd stay in WDW.
All in all, I understand how upsetting it seems to be confronted with something new, especially if it involves a change in our habits, and that's why every minute change in the routine is met with 100 pages threads.
But it all comes to pass.
Actually, this change may not lessen our experience, it will require adjustments and maybe it will make us rediscover some things, even for those who are so confident that they know the park like the back of their hands. There is always something to do at Disney's, but it's like in photography, if your focus is not on the right subject it can be blurred to the point of not seing it.
And finally, I was kind of amused to see that many people try to defend themselves, saying that not many people use FP past their return time, but so many are offended that the return window be enforced ... It's like "oh no, we don't do it, but we'd be gutted if it was not allowed anymore" ... come on, lol
I would like to point out some examples of how a change like this will REALLY impact our touring style. During our two trips to WDW in 2010 and 2011, we’ve used the FP system as allowed and loved it.
The only park I can think that that posts the FP windows is Epcot. I know they have a large sign in front of The Land and I think on by Mission Space that shows current wait times and FP windows. That helps with this example, but is limited to Epcot and you have to be near a sign that shows the info. I choose not to use a Smartphone, so I don’t have one of the many Apps that show current SB wait times, and FP windows, so that isn’t an option. I can see a lot of walking around the parks with no idea if when you get to a FP machine, the time will work for our schedule.
