FP+ and Hopping (need guinea pigs!)

[JanaDee]

*sigh* Guess it is time to update the ignore list...

 

[Angel Ariel]

I really do see that as an unfortunate side-effect of FP+. Very much contrary to what most families go to Disney for.

I agree...and this is one area where I would almost give US the upper hand. At least for the few rides we experienced, the RS place was indoors, as part of the line near the front. We were allowed to bring DD in line with us, and when we reached that point we separated...the rider continued on in the line, while the waiting parent waited with DD. There were movies playing, it was air conditioned...when the first rider came back, it was only a few more minutes for the second to ride and then we were on our way.

Yes, we were in line for quite a long time for some rides (Forbidden Journey being the one I'm thinking of most) - but we were able to wait in line together. That's very much preferable to having to spend so much time apart on a family vacation.

 

[wisblue]

There are also a lot of guests, I'd imagine, who like both the FL rides/child-centric attractions AND the mountains.

That's true. Remember that my comment was made in the context of the "leftovers" for same day FPs. Because there are a lot of popular choices, it is much less likely that FPs will all be booked for any one attraction in advance at MK unless everyone eventually gets more than 3 picks. Unlike the other 3 parks the leftovers at MK could be pretty good.

When the mine train opens and draws huge demand, that will make that many more FPs available if the limit of 3 stays.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I agree...and this is one area where I would almost give US the upper hand.

I've never liked the for-profit express passes, but one of the main reasons we're booked in a US resort is so that I can experience thrill rides without being away from my family a long time. It's making missing the mountains this year more tolerable for me. FJ doesn't have express pass but gives the non-riders some entertainment.

We use rider switch at Disney, but my youngest is tall enough for more and more rides each year. It's my understanding that I can't get one just because my kids don't want to ride.

 

[Huff]

If MDE website is painfully slow now, what happens later this month when far more people are switched to Magic Bands and FP+?

 

[Angel Ariel]

That's true. Remember that my comment was made in the context of the "leftovers" for same day FPs. Because there are a lot of popular choices, it is much less likely that FPs will all be booked for any one attraction in advance at MK unless everyone eventually gets more than 3 picks. Unlike the other 3 parks the leftovers at MK could be pretty good.

When the mine train opens and draws huge demand, that will make that many more FPs available if the limit of 3 stays.

I would agree that there will likely be more choices to be had. But then, it's not like there were rides at MK that ran out of FP- within an hour or two of opening either (at least not on any trip I've taken there since FP began). Most FPs were available well into the afternoon, many into the evenings as well. Even during Spring Break last year we never ran into any problems getting FPs throughout our entire day in MK.

 

[Laketravis]

I would agree that there will likely be more choices to be had. But then, it's not like there were rides at MK that ran out of FP- within an hour or two of opening either (at least not on any trip I've taken there since FP began). Most FPs were available well into the afternoon, many into the evenings as well. Even during Spring Break last year we never ran into any problems getting FPs throughout our entire day in MK.

At the risk of admitting to harboring a ride hog, my DS has always been the kind of kid who picks a favorite and sticks with it. When he first discovered Mickey's Philharmagic, we would go back in as soon as we got out, over and over.

Space Mountain? It's a confirmed fact the kid did it 11 times in a row.

Now, I'm not one to deny someone else such simple pleasures in life. Especially a kid. Especially my own kid.

And it's not like he was riding 11 rides at the same time - he just rode the same one over and over. And he loved it.

Sure, there are those of us who knew how and when to accomplish such a monumental (and some would say immoral) feat by taking advantage of gaps in time and space. But the new system is designed to fill those gaps as much as possible.

This last trip? No such luck. We could tell those gaps were filling up.

 

[famy27]

I'm confused by the mentions of e-mail addresses in this thread. Could someone explain how the FP+s for offsiters work? I assumed they scan their ticket at the kiosk, but I am now guessing that is not correct.

If it is really just linked to an e-mail, what would prevent anyone from taking off their magic band and getting unlimited FP+s? It isn't too difficult to get a boatload of e-mail addresses, so I feel like I must be missing something.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm confused by the mentions of e-mail addresses in this thread. Could someone explain how the FP+s for offsiters work? I assumed they scan their ticket at the kiosk, but I am now guessing that is not correct.

If it is really just linked to an e-mail, what would prevent anyone from taking off their magic band and getting unlimited FP+s? It isn't too difficult to get a boatload of e-mail addresses, so I feel like I must be missing something.

No, you are correct. They scan their ticket.

 

[cigar95]

Cigar?????

OK, I'm back. Here's how today went:

1 - Start the day at the Studios, and use two of my three reservations

2 - Hop to Epcot at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Tried to get more FP reservations **using the app**. No go.

3 - Hop to MK a little after 5 pm. Went to **a kiosk** at around 6:30 and tapped my card. And I was offered a pretty good selection of FP+ options. The top-level stuff - Wishes, ETWB and Space - were sold out, but I think everything else was available, including Big Thunder. The mistake I made here was that I didn't follow through and try to actually confirm these passes. But the system definitely did offer them to me.

So in summary - it appears that same-day, in-park FP+ is available in addition to the pre-reserved passes. But only at the in-park kiosks, not via the app.

I can think of two questions that remain:

a - Would it have worked if I had made my in-park requests at the same park where I had made the first three reservations?

b - What if my reservations were for the afternoon/evening, and I tried to make my in-park requests in the morning?

 

[cigar95]

. . . . . Now...if I'd taken my band off, posed as an off site guest, and given an alternate email addy...we could have done it. (Edit:maybe).

But not via our mbs.

Even posing as an off-site guest, you'd need to proffer a ticket, and at that point the system knows you're the same person who had made reservations earlier.

Using an entirely separate ticket, not tied to your MDEx, would work, but probably more expensive than it's worth.

 

[Laketravis]

OK, I'm back. Here's how today went:

1 - Start the day at the Studios, and use two of my three reservations

2 - Hop to Epcot at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Tried to get more FP reservations **using the app**. No go.

3 - Hop to MK a little after 5 pm. Went to **a kiosk** at around 6:30 and tapped my card. And I was offered a pretty good selection of FP+ options. The top-level stuff - Wishes, ETWB and Space - were sold out, but I think everything else was available, including Big Thunder. The mistake I made here was that I didn't follow through and try to actually confirm these passes. But the system definitely did offer them to me.

So in summary - it appears that same-day, in-park FP+ is available in addition to the pre-reserved passes. But only at the in-park kiosks, not via the app.

I can think of two questions that remain:

a - Would it have worked if I had made my in-park requests at the same park where I had made the first three reservations?

b - What if my reservations were for the afternoon/evening, and I tried to make my in-park requests in the morning?

That's encouraging! I'm guessing you didn't try the kiosk at EP?

Thanks for posting back.

 

[cigar95]

That's encouraging! I'm guessing you didn't try the kiosk at EP?

Nope - didn't follow the fully-proper scientific method. That's why I also should have followed the process through to the end at MK and confirmed the additional FP+, just to be sure.

 

[nkosiek]

I'll be going down this weekend and would be willing to give it a try at MK on Sunday with my AP card in addition to my MB. Do they have the FP+ kiosks at EP yet or no? If so, I'll try it there to on Saturday. Would be awesome to try to see whether it works or not. If it does, I know my sister (almost a first-timer, not been since '77) will have a fantastic time.

 

[morethananyonex]

OK, I'm back. Here's how today went:

1 - Start the day at the Studios, and use two of my three reservations

2 - Hop to Epcot at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Tried to get more FP reservations **using the app**. No go.

3 - Hop to MK a little after 5 pm. Went to **a kiosk** at around 6:30 and tapped my card. And I was offered a pretty good selection of FP+ options. The top-level stuff - Wishes, ETWB and Space - were sold out, but I think everything else was available, including Big Thunder. The mistake I made here was that I didn't follow through and try to actually confirm these passes. But the system definitely did offer them to me.

So in summary - it appears that same-day, in-park FP+ is available in addition to the pre-reserved passes. But only at the in-park kiosks, not via the app.

I can think of two questions that remain:

a - Would it have worked if I had made my in-park requests at the same park where I had made the first three reservations?

b - What if my reservations were for the afternoon/evening, and I tried to make my in-park requests in the morning?

I may have missed this, so right now the only way this works is if you are either a current onsite guest with separate ticket media, or an AP holder with MB from a previous stay?

Since I have a package with Disney and no separate tickets, am I still left out in the cold here? Can this be done with a MB only? Am I correct in concluding from your test that the kiosks do not stop a ticket from booking more FP+ even if it's tied to an MDE account with FP+ booked?

 

[cigar95]

I may have missed this, so right now the only way this works is if you are either a current onsite guest with separate ticket media, or an AP holder with MB from a previous stay?

Since I have a package with Disney and no separate tickets, am I still left out in the cold here? Can this be done with a MB only? Am I correct in concluding from your test that the kiosks do not stop a ticket from booking more FP+ even if it's tied to an MDE account with FP+ booked?

My one and only ticket is an annual pass that is (obviously) tied to my MDEx account.

I may have thrown you off when I mentioned tapping my "card". I have both cards and bands that are active. I just happened to be using the cards most of the time this week.

 

[morethananyonex]

My one and only ticket is an annual pass that is (obviously) tied to my MDEx account.

I may have thrown you off when I mentioned tapping my "card". I have both cards and bands that are active. I just happened to be using the cards most of the time this week.

Sorry, still confused . When you say you tapped your card, was it your AP tied to your MDE account, or was it the RFID cards that resorts give instead of MB if you don't want them?

If the latter, could it be assumed that this could possibly work with MB for onsite guests? If the former, boo.

 

[cigar95]

Sorry, still confused . When you say you tapped your card, was it your AP tied to your MDE account, or was it the RFID cards that resorts give instead of MB if you don't want them?

Neither of the above - it was the RFID KTTW card that some resorts are still giving out in addition to the Magic Bands. I don't remember if the card I tapped was the one I got a few days ago at AK Lodge, or the one I got last September at French Quarter. Both are still active, and both are equivalent for in-park purposes. (I have been doing a lot of different experiments this week - hence carrying three bands and four cards around on most days.)

It is a pretty safe bet that I would have had just as much success had I tapped my band instead of my card. The bands and the cards are supposed to be functionally equivalent for most purposes. And I assume they will remain so even after all resorts have ceased giving out new cards.

 

[morethananyonex]

Neither of the above - it was the RFID KTTW card that some resorts are still giving out in addition to the Magic Bands. I don't remember if the card I tapped was the one I got a few days ago at AK Lodge, or the one I got last September at French Quarter. Both are still active, and both are equivalent for in-park purposes. (I have been doing a lot of different experiments this week - hence carrying three bands and four cards around on most days.)

It is a pretty safe bet that I would have had just as much success had I tapped my band instead of my card. The bands and the cards are supposed to be functionally equivalent for most purposes. And I assume they will remain so even after all resorts have ceased giving out new cards.

That's the card I was talking about, I didn't know they had given them out in addition to the bands too! I thought it was just for people who didn't want bands. Well, if nothing else we'll attempt this in a few weeks with our bands in the evenings at MK after we've used our FP+ elsewhere earlier in the day.

Theoretically it should work, since they should have the same functionality as MB. Crossing my fingers that it does. That would be huge.

Thanks for being the guinea pig

 

[wordwitt]

Yeah, thanks Cigar. That's really interesting.