FP+ Details Are Out!

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

One time we had to leave for my daughter. We had fastpasses and we kept trying to give them to people- who were walking away like we were trying to sell them something! They were even the GAD cards so you could use them wherever! It was surreal. Usually people take them happily, but I don't know if I will ever forget that.

Oh yeah DW call those 'the non believers' lol. You get that. I think people think its some kind of trick. One time I was pixie dusted free bucket of sealed popcorn and I didn't want it as I have a dietary requirement. I tried to give it away the box wasn't opened but clearly it must have contained rat poison lol... Sorry guys but in the UK we are greedy first and suspicious last. I have no issues giving away free food here lol. But maybe that's our undoing.... ( bad character in cartoon laugh )

 

[d1gitman]

...I bet in one year these boards will be filled with people complaining about how Disney is....INSERT NEW TOPIC HERE

i'm sure a year from now there will be complaints about FP+ even though the sky didn't fall and we will all be on to debating the next Disney "disaster" that will for sure ruin everyone's vacation and cause them the stop going to Disney altogether.

Funny how the advent of FP+ has overshadowed the FP complaints "they were gone by 10 am for my favorite attraction" "allowing late returns ruins it and backs up the standby" "the enforcement of return times ruins it, my spontaneity of how i want to do the parks" "lines to get FP's at the top headliners is too long" "FP running should be banned" "FP running is more efficient" "i like to spread pixie dust and hand out unused FP's" "FP's are non-transferable so they shouldn't be handed out" blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...oh yeah, i long for those good old days

 

[Bayoumama]

I just found this thread and haven't had time to read through all of the 2000+ posts on this topic yet but my opinion about it so far is not good. I really like the ability to keep my plans as flexible as I can without having to go through so much trouble to change things as needed. It's starting to feel like my every day life !!!!!

I'm with everyone else who wants to keep that spontaneity!!!! I like to feel some freedom on vacation.

I won't be participating in this FP+ system at all. I rather show up to the parks really early or stay really late.

 

[mom2rtk]

i'm sure a year from now there will be complaints about FP+ even though the sky didn't fall and we will all be on to debating the next Disney "disaster" that will for sure ruin everyone's vacation and cause them the stop going to Disney altogether.

Funny how the advent of FP+ has overshadowed the FP complaints "they were gone by 10 am for my favorite attraction" "allowing late returns ruins it and backs up the standby" "the enforcement of return times ruins it, my spontaneity of how i want to do the parks" "lines to get FP's at the top headliners is too long" "FP running should be banned" "FP running is more efficient" "i like to spread pixie dust and hand out unused FP's" "FP's are non-transferable so they shouldn't be handed out" blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...oh yeah, i long for those good old days

That's because CC holds for ADRs and napkin changes don't have the ability to impact the CORE reason people go to Disney the way FP+ does.

And perhaps because some of the posters who were most vocal about some of those other things aren't posting any more.

 

[ready4mouse]

I'm clearly in the minority here, but after I got through the initial moment of trying to decide how I wanted to plan my FP+s for next month, this system has put me totally at ease with my upcoming trip.

Seeing confirmed FPs for Soarin, Test Track, TSMM, Splash....ahhh, I can relax now b/c I've got them. For us, I think it will ADD to the spontanaiety when we are in the park. Why? Well, in the morning, if the kids want to stop and really look at something, meet a character, ride something again, it will be ok. I won't secretly be worrying that the return time for our Splash FP is getting pushed out later and later with each minute we spend trying to get the sword out of the stone, b/c I know I already have my FP ready and waiting for after lunch.

Another bonus...we get to stay together and I don't need to be sprinting by myself across the park to get another FP that may end up having a return time for much later than we were planning on staying...

I guess we will all have to wait and see how it really plays out, but so far, I'm really happy with the way my vacation is shaping up!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I found this thread really interesting. Some really great points on all views. What seems clear to me is Disney has many customers those that plan because they enjoy it, those that plan because they have to because they need to go at peak season, those that don't plan etc. I think unless I am mistaken and it has been known the current system lets us all enjoy how we go to the parks. What we can't perhaps see is how this scales to everybody like the current system. I am not a planner because we go low season, I cannot predict what my health is doing on a daily basis and enjoy the privilege of coming every year as we are DVC members. So it's unfair for me to have a view on what's it like peak season I have no idea! But I really hope it scales as well for everyone.

I turn down the dining plan for the same reasons. I don't want to make ADRs 180 days. We like to decide on the day. That's our vacation. But I understand why somebody else would and I am really pleased Disney offer a plan that works for them. So you can opt in or out up to you. We rent a car just as happy at the Olive Garden. But we live in the UK so that's a novelty for us but probably not you guys who want to maximise Disney so you can.

I think what we are all trying to say is please Disney this is our vacation. Don't make us do stuff and eat stuff we don't want to! That's not why we come. Give us the choice we aren't cookie cuttings of each other. We are not all the same! But we do all love you. Because you offer us everything. Don't take that away.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Maybe some people LIKE to plan. It gives them a way to pass the time until their next trip while maintaining a "Disney" mindset.

There's nothing wrong with liking to plan...but stating that there's currently no ability for spontaneity *and* short lines (which was stated earlier in this thread) is inaccurate - even during busy times.

I don't like Disney basically forcing me into planning down to the hour when I'm going to ride something. i don't have an issue with normal planning, checking best park days, even ADRs. but that amount of microplanning for a ride is ridiculous, imo.

 

[rastuso]

That's because CC holds for ADRs and napkin changes don't have the ability to impact the CORE reason people go to Disney the way FP+ does.

And perhaps because some of the posters who were most vocal about some of those other things aren't posting any more.

And don't people still say return time enforcement was an overall negative? It's not changing back, but it is a bad thing.

But, yeah, FP enforcement didn't change how many FPs you can get AT ALL! FP+ could/WILL fundamentally change the number of E-ticket rides you will get in a day.

Jason

 

[d1gitman]

There's nothing wrong with liking to plan...but stating that there's currently no ability for spontaneity *and* short lines (which was stated earlier in this thread) is inaccurate - even during busy times.

I don't like Disney basically forcing me into planning down to the hour when I'm going to ride something. i don't have an issue with normal planning, checking best park days, even ADRs. but that amount of microplanning for a ride is ridiculous, imo.

except no one knows just yet what the full effect of FP+ will be on all aspects of touring a park. many are assuming that their day will consist only of 3 FP+ AND long lines...it's just not known yet what the real effects of FP+ and MDE/MDX will be. once FP+ and MDE/MDX are fully rolled out with time for the learning curve and to work some kinks out, then i would say it's fair game for any harsh complaints or high praises.

there will no doubt be a learning curve for all guests, cm's and Disney but that is part of the process, for better or for worse.

 

[rastuso]

I'm clearly in the minority here, but after I got through the initial moment of trying to decide how I wanted to plan my FP+s for next month, this system has put me totally at ease with my upcoming trip.

Seeing confirmed FPs for Soarin, Test Track, TSMM, Splash....ahhh, I can relax now b/c I've got them. For us, I think it will ADD to the spontanaiety when we are in the park. Why? Well, in the morning, if the kids want to stop and really look at something, meet a character, ride something again, it will be ok. I won't secretly be worrying that the return time for our Splash FP is getting pushed out later and later with each minute we spend trying to get the sword out of the stone, b/c I know I already have my FP ready and waiting for after lunch.

Another bonus...we get to stay together and I don't need to be sprinting by myself across the park to get another FP that may end up having a return time for much later than we were planning on staying...

I guess we will all have to wait and see how it really plays out, but so far, I'm really happy with the way my vacation is shaping up!

But, again, you ARE NOT using the future permanent FP+ system. You are in a small group testing the system.

It would be unwise to extrapolate the test experience to what people will experience when FP+ is fully implemented.

The last test was winning the FP lottery. The next one could be a big negative, if it truly binds you to 3 or 4, but not 5, FP+, while everyone else is using the old FP system, with a bunch of folks removed from it.

Jason

 

[Nixie]

I have not read through this whole thread I will admit. I have a basic understanding of the whole FP+ system. The things I am seeing are scaring me though. I have read "depending on your level of package" and "resort guests and AP holders", so what is gonna happen to us that have been forced offsite by Disney's ridiculous prices? Because I refuse to pay $500 a night for an AoA suite in April, I am just outta luck on riding any headliners? Or maybe not outta luck, but def. have to wait in the 200+ minute line? What happens if I buy tickets from Undercover Tourist? I am starting to feel like I need to stop getting my hopes up that this Disney vacation is even gonna happen. I will not pay $6,000 - $7,000 on a vacation to wait a hour+ in line to ride one ride.

 

[PrincessV]

Okay... I've been skimming through FP+ and MDE threads for a while now, and this looks like The One to join as this hot mess rolls out.

My WDW background: Floridian. 20-year WDW vet. Semi-local: a 1.5-hour drive away from WDW. AP holder. DVC member. Parent of an 11yo boy. Frequent WDW on a near monthly basis.

Sometimes we plan in advance - generally if we're going to WDW with other families from out of state. On those occasions, we work out in advance which parks on what days, ADRs, and some amount of touring planning. Even then, we often scrap The Plan and do a different park/different rides/different restaurants than what was planned. But I can see potentially being able to use FP+ with minimal negative outcome on those types of trips.

More often, we got to WDW for day trips and long weekends. And it's that type of WDW-ing that I see as potentially hurt by FP+. So many unknowns... if we wake up and decide to go to the MK one day, and we get there around 11am, is there any hope of getting a FP for our favorite - say BTMRR - to ride before we need to drive home? Will standby waits grow with the new system, or decrease, allowing us to show up for a day and not even need FPs? Can I expect a time when we won't even have FP as an option without paying an exorbitant extra fee as a day guest?

Those are my chief concerns from a local AP holder perspective. I'll be following along here intently, and will report in with anything I end up seeing/hearing/experiencing.

 

[doggydoc]

There's nothing wrong with liking to plan...but stating that there's currently no ability for spontaneity *and* short lines (which was stated earlier in this thread) is inaccurate - even during busy times.

I don't like Disney basically forcing me into planning down to the hour when I'm going to ride something. i don't have an issue with normal planning, checking best park days, even ADRs. but that amount of microplanning for a ride is ridiculous, imo.

Don't take my response you quoted as support or even indifference to FP+. I am a planner and I don't like the looks of it. I was responding to a condescending diatribe about "how planners need to justify their planning". I actually only do a general plan of what park on which day and that is mainly to accommodate ADR's. There are some restaurants DD and I like to eat at every year because we have memories of eating their past trips and they have become a tradition. In order to make sure we can get in we HAVE to plan.

As far as spontaneity, I totally agree. The last few years we have rented a car and there have been occasions where we would see the sign for HS or Epcot on our way back to the resort. I would look at DD and say "how about a ride on ToT or TT". We would pull in and grab a FP and wander through the shops until our ride time was available. The new system would actually help in that DD could look through FP return times on the MDE app and find a ride with a reasonable wait. BUT if we have already used FP+ at another park that is no longer a choice. So we would likely just head on back to the resort.

I am willing to try to the 3 FP's only thing before making absolute judgement. The # FP's in only one park thing is a deal breaker.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Duly noted and reported to the head of the Discussion Boards unit in the Stealth Internet Research Division. Thanks for your input!

I KNEW IT!!!

I'm clearly in the minority here, but after I got through the initial moment of trying to decide how I wanted to plan my FP+s for next month, this system has put me totally at ease with my upcoming trip.

Seeing confirmed FPs for Soarin, Test Track, TSMM, Splash....ahhh, I can relax now b/c I've got them. For us, I think it will ADD to the spontanaiety when we are in the park. Why? Well, in the morning, if the kids want to stop and really look at something, meet a character, ride something again, it will be ok. I won't secretly be worrying that the return time for our Splash FP is getting pushed out later and later with each minute we spend trying to get the sword out of the stone, b/c I know I already have my FP ready and waiting for after lunch.

Another bonus...we get to stay together and I don't need to be sprinting by myself across the park to get another FP that may end up having a return time for much later than we were planning on staying...

I guess we will all have to wait and see how it really plays out, but so far, I'm really happy with the way my vacation is shaping up!

Glad you posted your perspective. Looking forward to hearing how it plays out for you...

 

[PrincessV]

I wonder how many trips currently get booked within the 60 day window. Once people start to catch on to how FP+ works, I'd say that number will nosedive. Who would book a trip within that window without knowing at all if they can get FP slots for the headliners at all?

DING DING DING DING!!! Yep, my concerns, exactly. I am that person who often books within 60 days, often within a couple weeks, if we're talking hotel stays. If FP+ results in me not being able to ride any headliners when booking so late, our short-notice trips like that would decrease quite a bit and would absolutely be more likely to land in slower crowd times, when costs are lower, too. Which ultimately means less money from my pocket to Disney's. But... more and more, I see that I am not Disney target demographic. No, actually - I'm not sure they want me taking up space in their parks at all. I buy little to no merchandise, I utilize every discount available to me as a Floridian/AP holder/DVC member, I eat at least breakfast and often lunch brought from home... definitely not helpful to their bottom line. Which I totally understand as a marketing professional. Still bums me out.

 

[SoonerSean]

The planning rides in advance is absurd when you get right down to it. I mean I understand Disney wanting to find ways to make an experience better or a way to try and manage the stand-by lines... or whatever their initial thought process was with FP+.

But in the end... asking people to plan three rides in advance is just silly. The current system works just fine and allows people to manage their days in the parks. We get a FP that says to return in two hours - we can't get another one until then either - so we go stand in a stand-by line or we shop or we eat. Then we get the next FP and repeat the process.

I don't understand why that's a problem but the solution should not be telling you to identify the three rides you desperately want to ride and then hope to secure a time that works for your schedule and then hope nothing changes that schedule or else you'll be scrambling later to reschedule.

I'm trying to figure out who FP+ makes happy and all I can come up with is people who don't like being at a park early to ride something like TSM where you must secure a FP by mid-morning or face not riding the attraction. Other than that who does this please more than the current FP system does?

We've been going every year since long before FP started. We enjoy a full day in every park we visit and we use multiple FP per day - within the confines of the current system. It works OUTSTANDINGLY for us so the old saying of "If it ain't broke don't fix it" seems to apply.

 

[Angel Ariel]

many are assuming that their day will consist only of 3 FP+ AND long lines

i don't think I said that anywhere in my post

...it's just not known yet what the real effects of FP+ and MDE/MDX will be. once FP+ and MDE/MDX are fully rolled out with time for the learning curve and to work some kinks out, then i would say it's fair game for any harsh complaints or high praises.

I don't have harsh complaints - i have concerns - that are valid.

OK, so things we have a general idea about with fp+.

1.) Arranging your FPs from home, 60 days in advance
Not a bonus to me. Sure, I'll know what park I'll be in by then and what ADRs I have, but once I'm in the park I like to go with the flow. This doesn't allow me to do that, as now I have a schedule of rides I need to follow. i am not a fan of microplanning my day like this for *any* reason.

2.) Being able to use your smartphone to coordinate FPs
A pretty good idea here, I do admit. That said, i hate being tied to my phone on my vacation. it's also hard enough to get DH off of his electronics as it is without giving him an excuse (the FPs and times) to be on his. My phone also never held a charge during a full Disney day, and that was without the full MDE in use. We did have a battery charger with us, and even that didn't help all the time. I have no desire to have to sit at a charging station while my cell charges in order to use the FP system. That's time wasted that i could be riding something else or seeing a show. Or, as I'm sure disney would prefer - shop.

This idea also could have been implemented without fundamentally changing the FP system.

3.) 3 pre-booked FPs/park
IF there are same day FPs available in a similar manner that they are now, this isn't as big of an issue. That is a BIG if, though. 3 FP/day is at least 1/2 of what we get with the current system. Why should i be excited about less access?

While you say a lot of people are making doom and gloom assumptions about how bad it will be, the other side is equally making positive assumptions that there will have to be a same day FP system of some sort. Disney has not given any indication that there will be, so my reservations are based on what Disney has said and that alone.

4.) fp+ will only be available in one park/day
This is a definite downgrade for us. We generally get the military armed forces salute tickets for WDW, and they are 4 day tickets. MK pretty much requires more than one day, which then requires us to do 1/2 days at DHS and AK. Only having FP for one park would be a downgrade from what we can do now.

5.) how will the military tickets play into this
We have absolutely no idea. Will we get Magic bands, since it's supposed to be tied to tickets and not resorts? we don't get kttw cards now. will military tickets even be applicable to use fp+? Our trip is in october. our 60 day mark is getting very close. with the info that they want to have this rolled out by the end of food and wine, and the lack of info on any new (if there will be one) AFS tickets for 2013-14, it's frustrating to not know where we will fall.

I have a small toddler. I need flexibility and spontaneity in my vacation. The more planning ahead Disney requires of me, the less flexible i can be in the parks. That's not what I'm looking for in a vacation. Will I give FP+ a chance if it's up and running when we're there, and i'm eligible to use it? Most likely. but, tbh, i don't think there is much wrong with the current fp system.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The planning rides in advance is absurd when you get right down to it.

Disagree completely.

I already book ADRs. Easy as pie to add FP+ for rides near those ADRs. Done.

I understand that some people don't want to plan ANY part of their trip -- that's a legitimate gripe, in my book. But it's far from absurd to give this as an option to those who do want it -- and I'd bet that those who do outweigh those who don't -- and that this is what Disney's extensive market research has shown.

Otherwise, this is a pretty irrational investment -- and I don't think this is an irrational company / management group. Neither do stockholders, apparently...

 

[Disney_Princess83]

But this is assuming that people CAN get the FP time slots for the rides they want. Who knows if all the FP times for the headliners will be gone with 59 days to go People STILL don't seen to grasp making ADR's (I don't how many times we have overheard people yelling and carrying on at the check in desk "What do you mean we can't get a table? We had to book 180 days out? Who knows what we want to eat today 6 months ago! Our dining plan says we can eat anywhere."

Now it will be "What do you mean we have to wait in a line for 60+ minutes, who are those people walking in? What do you mean we had to book a time slot 2 months ago?"

I already book ADRs. Easy as pie to add FP+ for rides near those ADRs. Done.

 

[SoonerSean]

Disagree completely.

If the ability to plan in advance was an addition to the current FP system I'd agree with you. I'd be happy signing on and booking our TSM 60-days out since I know when we're eating at DHS thanks to our ADR.

But if FP+ means the elimination of the current FP system and then you HAVE to book in advance to avoid stand-by then it is absurd. It is also absurd if I logon 60-days out and find that the only time to ride TSM is at 9:00 at night because everyone arriving before me booked the rest of the day. Or worse there are no openings at all. So if my ADR is in that park I can't use FP+ for anything else (only other ride there for us is Tower of Terror) because I can't then use it in any other park. So basically they're saying I have to ride TSM via stand-by and then run off to another park to use my FP+ to take advantage of what it offers.

To me FP+ should be an addition to the current system that allows resort guests to book three of their FP experiences in advance. If you don't want to do so - you don't need to and can still enjoy the in-park FP options.

If you want to plan your day... then fire away. Then the rules of "only 3" and "only one park" make sense. But if the current FP system dies then those rules interfere with how many folks use the system currently. In addition, most of us use at least 5-6 FP within the current system each day, sometimes spread over various parks. So it certainly is a negative if that ability is eliminated.

I could also see FP+ greatly increasing stand-by lines in the morning if people aren't able to book a headliner like TSM, i.e. they'll know they have to be there at RD or face an hour or more later in the day like is presently experienced in the stand-by lines.

Finally, one can imagine how hard it could be to reschedule if something goes wrong on the day of a reservation. Say you have an ADR at 12:00 for lunch and your TSM return time is from 12:00-2:00 (not knowing how the windows work). You think that's no big deal bc it will only take an hour to eat. But when you go to your ADR you end up waiting for 20 minutes for a table. Then the service is slow. The whole time your'e checking your watch and freaking out. So you pull out the iphone and go to re-book and see that there aren't any other times available. Now you're rushing your meal because the clock is ticking. Or say on the way to the ride someone says "I have to go to the bathroom" and you'll be screaming "Not now!!!!"