Fastpass Plus Sucks!

[dmband]

But does stomping your foot and saying it's not fair change it? Not really

This benefits the company in the long run.

The benefit is they get more people to stay onsite for the 60 day window vs off site for 30
Is that really benefiting them in the long run when some people just don't go or get turned off.
I guess the answer is yes but it doesn't seem like a good idea overall imo


Fwiw so people know, I don't like fp+
I have never had it work out good for us and don't see it working out this time either.
Our biggest complaints are two things. First even though you select fp attractions that typically have longer lines, there have been plenty of times we arrived and waits where short while others longer. In turn you wasted a fp vs the old way where you would grab the longer line and wait in the shorter. (This happens in lower attendance day)
Second and a bigger concern to us is with small children it's almost impossible to predict where you want or can be at an exact time. Eating, naps, potty breaks or worse errors for example can and do screw up your plans and can make you miss fp times. Granted those can happen in the old way too but are less likely because you are in the park and can see wait times and form a plan right there on if it will fit into a nap time or if skipping it and getting something else fits better.

I also don't like making advanced dining res for the same basic reasons.
I don't know what I want to eat tonight let alone in 6 months from now. Add in young kids and try to make that call 6 months in advance

 

[jlima]

Don't make your fast passes for later times.

That would be a foolish way to schedule fp's if you have a desire to get more past your first 3.

We traveled during the Christmas holidays; and for our MK day that's what I got 60 days out for HM, IASW and the 7D ride. 60 days out - 10:30 at night.

 

[Robo]

We traveled during the Christmas holidays; and for our MK day that's what I got 60 days out for HM, IASW and the 7D ride. 60 days out - 10:30 at night.

Did you just take what was offered, as-is, or did you go back in and try to re-schedule the FPs for a different time?

 

[cakebaker]

We traveled during the Christmas holidays; and for our MK day that's what I got 60 days out for HM, IASW and the 7D ride. 60 days out - 10:30 at night.

My comment was in regards to the op's situation- which would not have come close to matching the crowds at Christmas. There are few times of the year one might have no other option but to book late night fp's. Christmas would be one of them. But even then, checking now and then for more availability or trying to book at staggered times might have helped you otu

 

[Cormoran]

Did you just take what was offered, as-is, or did you go back in and try to re-schedule the FPs for a different time?

Not arguing with your question, but don't you think it's a little ridiculous that we have to possess all this tribal knowledge to make FP+ reservations? Shouldn't all of the available times just be posted so that people can decide what they want? And this is better how?

 

[jlima]

Did you just take what was offered, as-is, or did you go back in and try to re-schedule the FPs for a different time?

Tried for other times and nothing was better. 60 days out.

My comment was in regards to the op's situation- which would not have come close to matching the crowds at Christmas. There are few times of the year one might have no other option but to book late night fp's. Christmas would be one of them. But even then, checking now and then for more availability or trying to book at staggered times might have helped you otu

The times didn't get any better.

Just ridiculous that in the situation we couldn't get any other FPs for hours.

 

[erc]

OP, I don't think I ever got an answer to this. Are you saying that at 30 days out, for a low attendance week, the only FP+ you were able to get was IASW, Philharmagic and Stitch?

So at 30 days out for a low attendance week the only FP+ you could get was IASW, Philharmagic and Stitch?

 

[dfb]

Just back from a trip 1/25 - 1/30. Crowd levels reported 1-3. Crowds seemed heavier to me than I expected.

Most rides were available to add or change the day of. Things not available day of were 7 Dwarfs, Rockin Roller Coaster, TSMM, Soarin, Test Track. (Didn't go to Animal Kingdom) I could add or move times for BTM or SM until about 2PM then no more. (Splash was closed). A&E, some meet & greets, parades, wishes were not available.

My first trip under FP+. I prefer legacy and would take it back in a second but the reality is I will learn how to better use, manipulate or tweak FP+ to make it work for me!!

FP+ will not keep me from going to WDW. It will force me to look at new touring styles, techniques, tactics, etc.

Because I read these threds for over a year before my trip I didn't have many surprises, although I was surprised and disappointed in the awkwardness and slowness of MDE and the app to update changes to FP+, locations, etc.

Looking forward to them tweaking this system to more closely mimic the old system. There is way too much waste as it is now!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Most rides were available to add or change the day of. Things not available day of were 7 Dwarfs, Rockin Roller Coaster, TSMM, Soarin, Test Track. (Didn't go to Animal Kingdom) I could add or move times for BTM or SM until about 2PM then no more. (Splash was closed). A&E, some meet & greets, parades, wishes were not available.

Must have been hit or miss depending on the day, and time of day. Thursday @ Epcot we were able to ride Test Track, and then add it back on after our first 3 were used.

 

[dfb]

Must have been hit or miss depending on the day, and time of day. Thursday @ Epcot we were able to ride Test Track, and then add it back on after our first 3 were used.

Yes we went mid afternoon on Tuesday. Tried to cancel a late FP for Spaceship Earth to pick up other FPs I know Test Track was not available then - this was mid day. Planned on going to HS to pick up FPs and eat but spent too much time trying to cancel last FP. Couldn't do it from the app, Kiosk wouldn't work and had to cancel thru guest relations.

 

[Brian Noble]

for our MK day that's what I got 60 days out for HM, IASW and the 7D ride. 60 days out - 10:30 at night.

Weird. We also went during Christmas, and were staying offsite. We got much better times, though we also got lucky with a late addition of 7DMT FP+ availability. Normally I would not have gotten that.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I like the new system! I definitely could squeeze more out of the old system but this system has its perks too.

 

[dkrauss]

Before you Pro-FP+ people jump on the OP for doing everything "wrong", ask yourself if spending a day at an amusement park should have a "right" way and a "wrong" way.

How people spend their day at an Amusement Park is a very subjective thing. It's not one-size fits all. For the OP his/her way didn't work at all...........and he/she has a response for that......change vacation locations. That's fine and more than appropriate for the OP. For others its different..........but the one thing to keep in mind is that FP+ is here to stay, its in fact rumored to be going to Disneyland too. You can adjust to the new world...........or leave the world. However, I'm comfortable stating that this is the way its going to be. Hopefully they'll be adjustments that make it better..........but to me the point of FP+ is to get folks on-site..........for those who don't stay on-site that will always be a problem. Until Disney starts taking a financial hit because of it.....which I don't think they ever will......it won't ever change in principal.

Doug

 

[JimmyV]

........but to me the point of FP+ is to get folks on-site..........for those who don't stay on-site that will always be a problem. Until Disney starts taking a financial hit because of it.....which I don't think they ever will......it won't ever change in principal.

Doug

On its face, it might seem that way. But Resort occupancy wasn't exactly hovering at 30% when FP+ was introduced. It was closer to 85%. Disney can only fill its resorts so much. Besides, on any given day, over half of all park guests are coming from off site. It simply cannot be helped. There are 30,000 on site rooms. Figure around 3.2 people per room and 100% occupancy would put Disney at just under 100,000 guests in all the parks, the water parks, convention meetings, days off, etc. If that is all they got that day, that would be a very, very bad day. So we need to ask ourselves....is it a good idea to bite the off-site hand that feeds you in an effort to drive up on site occupancy from 85% to 90-95%? Is an increase from 81,600 on site guests (85% occupancy at 3.2 people per room) to 89,280 (93% occupancy at 3.2 people per room) worth the ire and alienation of the other 100,000 guests who visit you from off site each day? While it might seem as if FP+ was intended to get folks on site, when you dig a little deeper past the surface, you have to question whether that was the goal, and if it was, was it a wise move.

 

[TLSnell1981]

OP, I feel your pain. We don't care for the current system either, so we cut back significantly on our visits. I really loved our trips, over the years, but no so much anymore.

 

[Cyrano]

....and we are done