For those who think only DISers hate FP+, check their Facebook page

[mom2rtk]

Yes, I believe we will.

<Impatiently waits for top-notch pics from DLR in a trip report.>

LOL, I'm getting there. I'm almost done with the old never-ending TR then on to the new one.

Wow. Just wow. What a stunning photo!

Well, you certainly took that out of context and misinterpreted it.

The day in question was the day we arrived. Our flight was delayed, and we arrived at the resort about 5:30 PM.

Because the adult daughter who was with me and I have APs, we went to DHS, went to see the Osborne Lights, and used our 3 FPs. With APs, the time at the park didn't really cost us anything; we had already gotten our money's worth on those passes from previous trips, and we still had 4 full days on this one. Anyone who has a MYW ticket of longer than 4 days isn't paying much for that one extra day either.

Without FP+ we still would have gone to DHS to see the lights, but probably wouldn't have been able to enjoy any rides. Without APs or a multi day ticket, we wouldn't have paid to go to the park for just 3 hours. Yes, we considered that a successful day. The fact that the temperature was 60 degrees higher in the evening than it was in the morning made it successful too.

A lot of other people have identified being able to get FP+ reservations on their arrival day as a significant advantage of FP+. But, the detractors dismiss that advantage, just like I dismiss not having paper tickets with my times as a significant advantage of legacy FP. I'd rather have 3 rides with times that I have to remember or write down myself than having no rides at all. Maybe it's just me.

I think it's great that you value the benefits of the new system. What I don't think is great is the way you dismiss the fact that others value different things.

You have an AP. We don't We never will. We are lucky to get there one week every year. We never do a park on arrival day. Even if I did get an advantage on arrival day but lose an advantage the other 8 days I'm there, I wouldn't view that as a net win. We frequently do parks on departure day but since it's just for a couple hours at rope drop, FP would make no difference to us.

 

[Laz]

I think it's obvious who the 5th dentist is.

Mesa....your trip sounds awesome! We did that same DL/Hawaii tour in 2011. You are going to love it!!

If you get the chance, I highly recommend sunrise atop Haleakala at 10,023 feet.

After the sunrise, bike down the volcano. Do the Rode to Hana, and take it all the way around. Magnificent!

 

[Mad Hattered]

After the sunrise, bike down the volcano. Do the Rode to Hana, and take it all the way around. Magnificent!

We did just that. One day we just drove the paved way to Hana and then turned around and drove the same way back.

Two days later we did the round trip, starting off the opposite way where most of the road is a one lane gravel/dirt road on the edge of the cliffs. My wife will NEVER let me do that again. But it was soooooooo beautiful....and dangerous!!

But yeah..... A LOT of people don't like FP+

 

[wisblue]

LOL, I'm getting there. I'm almost done with the old never-ending TR then on to the new one.



Wow. Just wow. What a stunning photo!



I think it's great that you value the benefits of the new system. What I don't think is great is the way you dismiss the fact that others value different things.

You have an AP. We don't We never will. We are lucky to get there one week every year. We never do a park on arrival day. Even if I did get an advantage on arrival day but lose an advantage the other 8 days I'm there, I wouldn't view that as a net win. We frequently do parks on departure day but since it's just for a couple hours at rope drop, FP would make no difference to us.

I am not so much "dismissing" your concerns as presenting another perspective. I know I am never going to convince you that FP+ is beneficial for you. But there are a lot of others, especially first time and infrequent visitors, who may want to hear some positives instead of just the negatives.

So, for example, when someone says that one of the disadvantages of FP+ is that you have to use your phone to make a change if you miss a FP+ reservation because of delays at your dinner, I think it's appropriate to point out that the same thing could happen with a paper FP, except that you would have no chance to get a replacement. What is being presented as a negative with FP+ is actually an advantage.

If all someone looks for is the negatives, that's all they're going to find. The bottom line is, paper FP is gone. Complaining about how wonderful the old system was and how awful FP+ is serves no purpose. On the other hand, pointing out ways to use FP+ to their advantage can be helpful to people planning their trips.

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

We did just that. One day we just drove the paved way to Hana and then turned around and drove the same way back.

Two days later we did the round trip, starting off the opposite way where most of the road is a one lane gravel/dirt road on the edge of the cliffs. My wife will NEVER let me do that again. But it was soooooooo beautiful....and dangerous!!

But yeah..... A LOT of people don't like FP+

We did that too, and then another day drove along the "forbidden" roads (rental car contract...pfffft, says the rebel attorney) on the north western shore. Stunningly, stunningly gorgeous (and yes...a bit terrifying, lol).

Oh...and I hate FP+.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I am not so much "dismissing" your concerns as presenting another perspective. I know I am never going to convince you that FP+ is beneficial for you. But there are a lot of others, especially first time and infrequent visitors, who may want to hear some positives instead of just the negatives.

So, for example, when someone says that one of the disadvantages of FP+ is that you have to use your phone to make a change if you miss a FP+ reservation because of delays at your dinner, I think it's appropriate to point out that the same thing could happen with a paper FP, except that you would have no chance to get a replacement. What is being presented as a negative with FP+ is actually an advantage.

If all someone looks for is the negatives, that's all they're going to find. The bottom line is, paper FP is gone. Complaining about how wonderful the old system was and how awful FP+ is serves no purpose. On the other hand, pointing out ways to use FP+ to their advantage can be helpful to people planning their trips.

Which is the purpose of this board, right?

 

[wisblue]

I do understand what you're trying to say, but the issue is now that Disney has provided these opportunities, you are losing out if you don't take advantage.

You're right that FP- didn't allow for much of this, but it didn't with anyone. You weren't giving up something by not being able to do the things listed. Nobody could. You weren't missing out if you let a FP- go without using it, you could just go pick up another one. You weren't focusing on the wait times because you could just not get one if the time was short. It wasn't schedule months in advance. If you're a park hopper you didn't have to think about switching your passes between parks if you can get away with not using yours in the first park.

FP+ gives more flexibility, but it gives it to everyone who wants it. If you don't take advantage of it you're putting yourself at a disadvantage. It's like when people say Disney isn't forcing you to use FP+, you can just wait in the SB. While yes that's technically true, you are giving up an advantage by not using the system to the fullest.

At least there is someone who is generally not a proponent of FP+ who recognizes that FP+ does offer some opportunities and flexibility that wasn't there with paper FP.

Sure, you have to do something to take advantage of those opportunities, just like you did with paper FP.

 

[Angel Ariel]

At least there is someone who is generally not a proponent of FP+ who recognizes that FP+ does offer some opportunities and flexibility that wasn't there with paper FP.

Sure, you have to do something to take advantage of those opportunities, just like you did with paper FP.

Most ofbus recognize there are some good things about it, and that it benefits some people. That is constantly dismissed, though, in favor of explaining why our concerns aren't really valid because of xyz..

For me, for example, the idea getting fps all in one place and beig able to change them around on the app is pretty nice. That doesn't eliminate the other concerns I have about the system, though

 

[mom2rtk]

Once people start resorting to minutiae like this to support their position that FP+ sucks, I know that they have lost all sense of objectivity.

So, you think that the difference between pulling paper tickets out of a lanyard, looking at your phone, or writing your times on a piece of paper is a big deal?

To me, that's extremely trivial.

I am not so much "dismissing" your concerns as presenting another perspective. I know I am never going to convince you that FP+ is beneficial for you. But there are a lot of others, especially first time and infrequent visitors, who may want to hear some positives instead of just the negatives.

So, for example, when someone says that one of the disadvantages of FP+ is that you have to use your phone to make a change if you miss a FP+ reservation because of delays at your dinner, I think it's appropriate to point out that the same thing could happen with a paper FP, except that you would have no chance to get a replacement. What is being presented as a negative with FP+ is actually an advantage.

If all someone looks for is the negatives, that's all they're going to find. The bottom line is, paper FP is gone. Complaining about how wonderful the old system was and how awful FP+ is serves no purpose. On the other hand, pointing out ways to use FP+ to their advantage can be helpful to people planning their trips.

Sorry then. I must have misinterpreted the first 2 posts above as dismissive. If you aren't trying to give that impression, you might want to think about how you phrase things.

 

[mesaboy2]

Most ofbus recognize there are some good things about it, and that it benefits some people. That is constantly dismissed, though, in favor of explaining why our concerns aren't really valid because of xyz..

For me, for example, the idea getting fps all in one place and beig able to change them around on the app is pretty nice. That doesn't eliminate the other concerns I have about the system, though

Yep, I agree. There are some nice aspects to FP+.

But if you were used to more than 3 FPs a day, being able to pull them for multiple headliners, or enjoyed repeating an attraction (even once) using FP, those are some rather obvious downers. From inception, the "math" of FP+ was rather dubious, and I think it's reasonable to assume these limitations are the direct result.

 

[wisblue]

Most ofbus recognize there are some good things about it, and that it benefits some people. That is constantly dismissed, though, in favor of explaining why our concerns aren't really valid because of xyz..

For me, for example, the idea getting fps all in one place and beig able to change them around on the app is pretty nice. That doesn't eliminate the other concerns I have about the system, though

Some concerns are clearly valid (limit of 3, one park, tiering, one FP per ride,need to plan further ahead, etc). Just like there are valid advantages to FP+ (pick your own time, getting FPs for afternoon or evening without being in park, etc.). The pros and cons of these have been discussed ad nauseum, and I don't dismiss them.

But, the issue of not having paper tickets to remind you of your times is, in my opinion, very trivial. So, maybe I am dismissing that one. And I apologize if I offended anyone by trivializing that issue.

 

[AmyB2006]

Some concerns are clearly valid (limit of 3, one park, tiering, need to plan further ahead, etc). Just like there are valid advantages to FP+ (pick your own time, getting FPs for afternoon or evening without being in park, etc.). The pros and cons of these have been discussed ad nauseum, and I don't dismiss them. But, the issue of not having paper tickets to remind you of your times is, in my opinion, very trivial. So, maybe I am dismissing that one.

Still agreeing. Still pointing out to take a screenshot of your FP then you don't have to navigate the app. Not dismissing anyone's concern I'm actually trying to offer a solution. Again if battery life is a problem then this doesn't matter. Maybe without having to navigate the app so much you'll have more battery life.

 

[mom2rtk]

Most ofbus recognize there are some good things about it, and that it benefits some people. That is constantly dismissed, though, in favor of explaining why our concerns aren't really valid because of xyz..

For me, for example, the idea getting fps all in one place and beig able to change them around on the app is pretty nice. That doesn't eliminate the other concerns I have about the system, though

I had my moment at DLR as I was standing at the RSR kiosk waiting for times to advance so I could get one to ride it in the evening. My first thought was "I can really see where FP+ would be helpful here".

I also get that someone on a weekend trip might appreciate it, so that they could soak that first arrival day for all it's worth.

I get that if you aren't an early riser, it would be great.

I get that if you don't typically do a ton of rides, it would be great.

Would I trade MY experience and touring style for all of those things? No.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Yep, I agree. There are some nice aspects to FP+.

But if you were used to more than 3 FPs a day, being able to pull them for multiple headliners, or enjoyed repeating an attraction (even once) using FP, those are some rather obvious downers. From inception, the "math" of FP+ was rather dubious, and I think it's reasonable to assume these limitations are the direct result.

Disney didn't give approval for a multi-billion dollar spend without these answers ahead of time. This level of detail was planned long ago. They knew then how many FP+, and to whom, they were going to make available. And we have only seen a few of their cards. They are still playing this hand very close to the vest - probably because they want to control the message throughout.

Understand how much money we are talking about. Understand that spends like this require board approval, and that many careers are at stake. If this goes badly (for Disney), countless jobs will be lost - executive level jobs.

They are not "rolling the dice" here. They have a plan to make money, and that plan has a very high probability of success or they would never have sniffed this level of funding. We may not like their plan, and it may change the way that families are forced to tour WDW, but they definitely have a plan.

 

[mesaboy2]

Disney didn't give approval for a multi-billion dollar spend without these answers ahead of time. This level of detail was planned long ago. They knew then how many FP+, and to whom, they were going to make available. And we have only seen a few of their cards. They are still playing this hand very close to the vest - probably because they want to control the message throughout.

Understand how much money we are talking about. Understand that spends like this require board approval, and that many careers are at stake. If this goes badly (for Disney), countless jobs will be lost - executive level jobs.

They are not "rolling the dice" here. They have a plan to make money, and that plan has a very high probability of success or they would never have sniffed this level of funding. We may not like their plan, and it may change the way that families are forced to tour WDW, but they definitely have a plan.

Okay.

 

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

Honestly, I do not have a problem with the idea of FP+, IF they make some changes to the offsite guests.
I LOVE planning a vacation, hence why I am on here 10 months out.
But, the thought of waiting to see if I get to reserve anything the day of for FP after all the onsite guests have had 60 days is worrisome.
We were not abusers of the old FP, but we utilized it. Fortunately for us, we also have a 2 year old, so we'll be able to use rider swap as well, the one thing keeping our hopes up.
If Disney allows offsite guests to prebook, even 30 days ahead, I am sure I will be a fan, but if not,
I check here daily, just hoping for a positive update for offsiters

 

[Angel Ariel]

Of course Disney has a plan...that doesn't mean that plan is a good one or will pan out as they want it to

The best laid plans...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Of course Disney has a plan...that doesn't mean that plan is a good one or will pan out as they want it to

The best laid plans...

There are no guarantees in life, but I would bet heavily in their favor. You just don't get approval for this kind of spend without some very solid and predictable information to support your plan.

Could it fail? Sure. Will it fail because people prefer FP- over FP+, no chance.

 

[Disneychick75]

They planned to have a sucky website and an app that crashes guests' phones? Give those gals/guys a raise!

 

[mom2rtk]

There are no guarantees in life, but I would bet heavily in their favor. You just don't get approval for this kind of spend without some very solid and predictable information to support your plan.

Could it fail? Sure. Will it fail because people prefer FP- over FP+, no chance.

I actually agreed with this line of thinking. Right up to the point where they said they discovered that fans want to interact more with their electronic devices on vacation. I'm still waiting to see the survey model on that question. I'm not buying that's true of a majority of their guests. And now I'm questioning many things I might have accepted blindly about this entire project.

They planned to have a sucky website and an app that crashes guests' phones? Give those gals/guys a raise!