Guys, no one is ever saying that FP+ is better for someone who efficiently used FP-. Those few ppl who did use FP- to ride many rides are clearly way worse off. But, MOST guests, and Disney, are better off, because those who used to be better off under FP- are now only equal.
I know it sucks if you loved FP- but you have to look past how FP- was great for you cuz you used it and most everyone else didn't... to now see that most guests are using FP+ to get on a few rides quick. They're not getting on 9-10 rides quick like you used to, but they're getting on 3, which is 3 more than they used to.
For most guests, and for Disney profit, FP+ is awesome.
I very much get what you are saying here Fuzzy, though I disagree with your assessment. It is, in the end, a utilitarian argument, but there is nothing wrong with that.
If what was said in a pervious post, only "about 50%" of people are using MBs ... I don't know what percentage are using FP+, though I would hope that stat is kicking around here somewhere ...
Anyway, if the it really was the small minority of people who were using FP- to its fullest advantage, then they would be having very little impact on the wait times for rides. Of course I don't really think this is true, I though I had read that something like half of people used FP- ... either way, the result is the same.
One of two scenarios is the outcome:
1) The old system - a very small minority of WDW enthusiasts, loyal and repeat customers, were able to really take advantage of the system and get a whole ton done, with very little impact on overall wait times.
2)The old system - half the people were using the system, and were using it to minimize ride time where they could. This put additional pressure on wait times for the few rides that had FP as an option. Half the people benefitted while the other half paid the price so to speak.
In both cases, the result is the same:
The new system - the advantage to the FP maximizer is relatively gone, now more people are using the system, on more attractions, with a higher distribution rate of FP:SB rides. The FP maximizer is no longer gets to ride as much as they once did, but since this was only a very few people, the wait time savings (that they once took up) now distributed to everyone doesn't make much of a difference, however, the rest of the half of people, who now are competing with a larger pool of FP users, they have to sacrifice their wait times savings with everyone else who is now using FP+.
With more FPs available and more attractions using FPs and having increasing SB wait times as a result. Best case scenario, the loyal few have significantly increased wait times, while everyone else (on average wait time at least) breaks even. Worst case scenario, half the park population is now having to wait longer for rides, or ends up doing less.
Now if you want to make the ultimate utilitarian argument, and say but average wait times don't change, except with increased crowd levels or rider rides, if you spread everything equally (because capacity doesn't change) ... ok fair enough, but the experience does change.
So if I used to wait 15 mins for each ride, riding 2 rides in a half and hour Great and not bad at all. If now I ride one ride instantly, and then have to wait for 29 mins for the second ride ... not nearly as happy. The average wait is the same, but the experience is not.
I have never held 10FP in a trip much less in a day before FP+. We never needed them except for TSMM and PP. Now we have to use it whether you want to or not because everyone else is, even for rides that don't even have a line. Why are you using a FP for Nemo at 10AM? The scheduling part sucks. First timers and non-planners will always be at a disadvantage unless they are willing to invest the effort to maximize it. How many first timers know they need to do that until they get there? In addition, 2 of the 3 FP's at Epcot are pointless, we threw them away. For 1/2 our group that didn't do Frozen, 2 DHS FP's were useless. The other half threw away 1 at DHS. We threw away A&E and 7DMT FP's at MK because the super dooper, life-changing most awesomness reservation system ever wouldn't let us change them, kept throwing errors. I went to the kiosk at Epcot after all our FP's were used or expired just to see what was available. Because we didn't use all our FP's, it wouldn't let me do anything but modify the one s that weren't used even though they were expired. The CM couldn't figure it out either she just kept pushing buttons saying "It's expired". Yeah, no kidding, just forget it. Sigh.....
jk
