fp+ and rope dropping - a new era

[practicallyperfect77]

Fair enough, but it's kind of ridiculous to think it's ridiculous to close standby lines - of course they have to close them eventually since the park has to close for the night. The question is how early do they close them. Before SB+ if I understand correctly they were still closed earlier than park closing, but now they are closed a lot earlier.

Of course they have to close since the park closed. Don't argue that point. Prior to the SB+ test you could get in line up til closing time and we're allowed to ride. What they did tho was exaggerate the standby time. So they would say TSM had an hour wait when really it had 10 mins. But you could get in that line at 9:59 on a 10 close and still ride itm

 

[newdeal]

I personally thought that the old fast pass system was perfect. Maybe they will just go back to it and be done with all this plus business. It seems like the FP+ has had actually the opposite result of what was intended. People are spending more time in lines

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I personally thought that the old fast pass system was perfect. Maybe they will just go back to it and be done with all this plus business. It seems like the FP+ has had actually the opposite result of what was intended. People are spending more time in lines

I long for the old system. I can't imagine Disney doing that though since they have spent 1.5B on MM+.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yup. Not sure there is a right way of going about it which is why I think it's ridiculous to close standby lines.

If it sticks around, I think SB+ going to end up being flexible..for Disney of course. Some days they will use SB+, some days they won't, some days they will open it back up, some days they won't. I guess there is no guarantee of getting to ride anything really. Even with ride closures or breakdowns, you're just out of luck if that was your only day and you really wanted to ride it. I still don't get the motivation behind it…it must be to be able to move more prebooked FPs over as they see fit without spiking the waits like crazy. I dunno.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Prior to the SB+ test you could get in line up til closing time and we're allowed to ride. What they did tho was exaggerate the standby time. So they would say TSM had an hour wait when really it had 10 mins. But you could get in that line at 9:59 on a 10 close and still ride itm

During a recent visit, the return time at 9 pm on Midway Mania was 75 minutes with an actual wait time of about 15 or less. That's how we were able to ride it 4 times in less than an hour.

7 Dwarfs was the same. Posted wait time of 80 minutes with an actual wait time of 20 or less. The difference there is that you can see most of the line from outside the attraction and know that it is nowhere near the posted time.

I kind of feel sorry for the early arrivers that fight through the rope drop crowd, only to find the line extending beyond the tea cups.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Double post

 

[practicallyperfect77]

If it sticks around, I think SB+ going to end up being flexible..for Disney of course. Some days they will use SB+, some days they won't, some days they will open it back up, some days they won't. I guess there is no guarantee of getting to ride anything really. Even with ride closures or breakdowns, you're just out of luck if that was your only day and you really wanted to ride it. I still don't get the motivation behind it…it must be to be able to move more prebooked FPs over as they see fit without spiking the waits like crazy. I dunno.

Sounds like a plan to me. I could actually see maybe 3 lines as a poster suggested on the Soarin test thread. They said a FP+ line, SB+ line and a SOL line "enter at your own risk". I just think the option needs to be there for people to wait if they wanna.

 

[mom2rtk]

I long for the old system. I can't imagine Disney doing that though since they have spent 1.5B on MM+.

Yep. Definitely too big to fail.

 

[ifjf414]

Were taking our 9 and 6 year old. We will be in the MK on a night where EMH last until 1 am and my wife and I are debating how long to keep them there.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Were taking our 9 and 6 year old. We will be in the MK on a night where EMH last until 1 am and my wife and I are debating how long to keep them there.

As long as they can make it. My older sisters kids can sleep anywhere. My younger sisters kids not so much. Also depends what's going on the next day.

 

[g-dad66]

Anyways, while waiting in the standby, a ton of people came through the fp+ line. It took us over an hour to ride RnR at 9:10.

Ack.

If I read too many more reports like this one, I may have to re-think our typical FP+ strategy (late morning/early afternoon).

Thanks for the report.

 

[ohionola]

We tried a couple of different strategies this past trip. We did a rope drop at Epcot and did b and c rides first. We were able to do 5 within 90 minutes. We then started our fp at 10:30. It seemed to work really well.

At Hollywood studios we didn't do rope drop but had our fp for the early evening. We walked around and tried to do rides with the smallest lines. Again it worked well and it was nice letting the kids sleep in.

Not really sure which I preferred but both were nice.

 

[bjs1228]

I had planned on being at DHS in the evening next week, but now they close TSMM at 8 or 8:30 for the fireworks. Not interested in the Frozen stuff at all so we went back to planning on rope drop.

 

[MAD on Disney]

This is why, selfishly, I like the SB+ thing and hope they test it on a few more of the big headliners. That way we could schedule our fastpasses, and then at RD head to get SB+ passes, and attempt to get them again after riding.

I am not directing this only at this post, but generally to anyone who is already well down the mental path of figuring out how they are going to use SB+ (there, for those that know my earlier posts, I am giving up on SB-), you need to keep in mind that they are early in the testing, and many things could change.

It would be logical to assume that final implementation would rely on the Magic Bands and scanners (cheaper than CMs passing them out). With this, Disney could attempt to limit maximization by us learned few in favor of spreading the joy of the headliner to more total guests, and also in favor of getting you out of lines without the benefit of getting on more rides (in hopes that you will eat/shop more). For example, with SB+ tied to MBs, they could:
1. Not allow you to get a SB+ if you previously used or have in the future a FP+ for the same ride (there goes using it to ride the same ride multiple times)
2. Not allow you to have multiple SB+ at the same time, or dray multiple SB+ within a set period of time (there goes running around gathering SB+s, or having multiple guests spread our to gather them all at once).

It's way too early to know how this one is going to shake out.

P.S. I'm coming to this thread a day late, and haven't read ahead, so I'm sorry if I am repeating things others have said.

 

[MAD on Disney]

Maybe they shouldn't start FP+ times until 10am? Who even needs one at rope drop anyway?

It is not so much that the guests need it this early (some do give it a try to burn through FP+ early in hopes of getting a fourth or more, but I am skeptical of what attractions will be left to make it worth it), it is that Disney needs to have them this early. By having FP+ available from the very beginning to the very end, it allows them to have more to distribute. That first hour likely represents several hundred additional FP+ each day per each headliner mountain. Many of us regulars might not appreciate a FP+ that early, but someone that doesn't know better and has the computer pick their passes or doesn't get passes until the day of might think it's wonderful that they got a FP+ for such a popular ride.

 

[monkeybug]

I am not directing this only at this post, but generally to anyone who is already well down the mental path of figuring out how they are going to use SB+ (there, for those that know my earlier posts, I am giving up on SB-), you need to keep in mind that they are early in the testing, and many things could change.

It would be logical to assume that final implementation would rely on the Magic Bands and scanners (cheaper than CMs passing them out). With this, Disney could attempt to limit maximization by us learned few in favor of spreading the joy of the headliner to more total guests, and also in favor of getting you out of lines without the benefit of getting on more rides (in hopes that you will eat/shop more). For example, with SB+ tied to MBs, they could:
1. Not allow you to get a SB+ if you previously used or have in the future a FP+ for the same ride (there goes using it to ride the same ride multiple times)
2. Not allow you to have multiple SB+ at the same time, or dray multiple SB+ within a set period of time (there goes running around gathering SB+s, or having multiple guests spread our to gather them all at once).

It's way too early to know how this one is going to shake out.

P.S. I'm coming to this thread a day late, and haven't read ahead, so I'm sorry if I am repeating things others have said.

Very true! But if they were to continue on as they have been, it would be a big advantage to the Rope Drop crowd, just as the legacy fastpass system was.
It would be pretty awful (but not saying I'd put it past them) if they were to impose a rule that if you had already used a SB+ you couldn't get another, because with no other line available they are basically saying you are only allowed to ride once a day. (or twice if you had a FP+ or rode in regular standby)

 

[MAD on Disney]

...But if they were to continue on as they have been, it would be a big advantage to the Rope Drop crowd, just as the legacy fastpass system was.

Yes, but that is a very big "if". I am not putting you down; if they are still running this the same way when I am there, I'm going to try and maximize the crap out of it. I'm just not expecting it.

...if they were to impose a rule that if you had already used a SB+ you couldn't get another, because with no other line available they are basically saying you are only allowed to ride once a day.

Yep, but that leaves more spots for others to ride, which is important when they already don't have enough ride capacity in the park to meet demand as it is. Besides, you are always welcome to use your extra time to browse their many shops, or grab a bite to eat; all it takes is a tap of the band.

...(or twice if you had a FP+ or rode in regular standby)

Another assumption. With SB+ there might be no "regular" standby line.

 

[sethschroeder]

I am not positive how FP+ is to blame that you couldn't get on Rockin Roller Coaster in 25 mins and instead waited an hour? What would have happened last year if everyone would have grabbed the same amount of FP- for Rockin Roller coaster and went by you as well?

Its more about HOW MANY FP+ vs FP- Disney is giving out as oppose to FP+ screwing your early morning riding up.

You have every right to schedule your FP+ during rope drop times so that when you go to get on your second ride at 9:15am you can get on Rockin Roller Coaster, when you enter the line move up Tower of Terror to 9:30, and so on...

Did Disney used to give out FP- starting at the time the park opened? Or were the first ticket times later in the morning starting at like 10am?

 

[sethschroeder]

Are the tiers still in effect at DHS and Epcot? I'd have no problem with the standby passes and even avoiding rope drop if I could make FP+ reservations for ALL the headliners and not have to choose. Until they drop the tiers, if you want to ride all headliners, you almost HAVE to get there at rope drop. Especially at Epcot with Soarin and the SB+ testing.

Why? What time are ALL and I mean every single pass gone for SB+? Can I show up at noon and get a 8PM SB+ or possibly even earlier?

 

[sethschroeder]

I know some folks always bring in the 45 mins waiting before the park opens and I really do understand that concept. For me it's about maximizing park hours. So I'm ok waiting 45 mins before opening. Not ok waiting while park is opened tho.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with those arrive just before closing slots considering the new SB+ tickets they have tested at A&E and soarin'. TSM was mentioned in an article about being tested....maybe that will be next week. Granted they did open Soarin' up later last night but line was immediately 40 mins long. Will be interesting to see how all that pans out. I really enjoy Fantasmic too so riding TSM at night most of the time isn't an option. I used to be able to ride at least 3 -4 times a day tho. 2 at rope drop and 1- 2 with FPs. Ahhh the good ol days.

So if park hours are from 9am to 10pm your there from 9am to 10pm? Right?