FP+ Details Are Out!

[d1gitman]

actually, if it works the way i think it will (a big IF since we don't know the details yet) then i think i will like it. to have 3 FP+'s as 'anchor points' and then to work in same day FP+'s would be nice....but that assumes same day FP+'s will be allowed in addition to prebooked FP+'s.

 

[doggydoc]

actually, if it works the way i think it will (a big IF since we don't know the details yet) then i think i will like it. to have 3 FP+'s as 'anchor points' and then to work in same day FP+'s would be nice....but that assumes same day FP+'s will be allowed in addition to prebooked FP+'s.

Totally agree! That would be a system worthy of the name FP+.

 

[daizieduck]

I have not read thru all 39 pages of this thread but this new fast pass reservation system sounds horrible. At least for DH and I. We like to park hop and while we usually have a general idea of which park/parks we will do each day based on operating hours, we like the option of being able to change our mind on a whim and go to Epcot when we originally planned on MK. Dining reservations are one thing but having to schedule rides before I even hop on the airplane just to avoid a 90 minute wait in line for Soarin' is another. What's next? Scheduling bathroom breaks?

 

[d1gitman]

i guess i'm missing something here because i don't understand why so many are in a tizzie over prebooking and have the notion that everything will now have to be micromanaged with regards to attractions. we have FP now, there is no prebooking now, no one says you have to prebook under the new system. so if one doesn't want to prebook, then don't. show up and us the FP+ system same day just like the current FP system is same day. i just don't get all the hype

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But the one thing I don't plan is what times I will be at each ride throughout the parks. Trying to plan rides 60 days in advance is going to be difficult.

I understand that feeling. Here's my thought on it (I'm sure I'm not the only one who's thought this, of course!): We already book ADR's, so my plan would be to pre-book FP+ for rides nearby to the restaurants. That doesn't feel to me to be difficult to plan 60 days out -- I could do that at 180 days with my ADRs.

 

[cigar95]

i guess i'm missing something here because i don't understand why so many are in a tizzie over prebooking and have the notion that everything will now have to be micromanaged with regards to attractions. . . . . .

The big issue for the moment is availability.
I think the biggest question that remains unanswered is how same-day fast passes will be handled. Plus it's still unclear how *much* of the inventory will be available for pre-booking, and how much of it will actually be scooped up in advance.
These are the things we won't know for a while yet. I trust WDW to make good choices in the design of the system, but like almost everyone, I am much less confident about the implementation.

 

[DaisyDew]

i guess i'm missing something here because i don't understand why so many are in a tizzie over prebooking and have the notion that everything will now have to be micromanaged with regards to attractions. we have FP now, there is no prebooking now, no one says you have to prebook under the new system. so if one doesn't want to prebook, then don't. show up and us the FP+ system same day just like the current FP system is same day. i just don't get all the hype

Lack of availability, and the loss of flexibility/spontaneity to our day are all concerns.

 

[mom2rtk]

so if one doesn't want to prebook, then don't. show up and us the FP+ system same day just like the current FP system is same day.

Did you see something confirming that same day fastpasses will indeed be offered? Because if you did, I'm thinking that would be pretty big news here. If you didn't then I think you are just dismissing what is a valid concern.

Even if there are same day fastpasses (which I sort of think there will be) we have no idea whether they will be for headliners or just second tier attractions. If there are headliners, then there's no way to know whether their numbers will be so greatly reduced that you won't know until you arrive at the park whether there are any left.

 

[d1gitman]

Did you see something confirming that same day fastpasses will indeed be offered? Because if you did, I'm thinking that would be pretty big news here. If you didn't thin I think you are just dismissing what is a valid concern.

Even if there are same day fastpasses (which I sort of think there will be) we have no idea whether they will be for headliners or just second tier attractions. If there are headliners, then there's no way to know whether their numbers will be so greatly reduced that you won't know until you arrive at the park whether there are any left.

There will have to be same day FP's.

How else will Disney accomodate same day guests? those who purchase tix by phone? those who are booking as a group?....i highly doubt they will eliminate any group from being able to use FP+. i'm sure Disney will not exclude people with no computers or smartphones or force an individual to prebook for an entire group.

The current FP system is same day and it's clear that FP will be phased out. I'm willing to bet that they aren't getting rid of same day FP under the FP+ system.

Whether or not sameday FP+ can be added to the 3 prebooked or if 3 FP+ per day is the maximum per guest, prebooked or not does remain to be seen. But i'm willing to bet that there will be same day FP+.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There will have to be same day FP's.

How else will Disney accomodate same day guests? those who purchase tix by phone? those who are booking as a group?....i highly doubt they will eliminate any group from being able to use FP+. i'm sure Disney will not exclude people with no computers or smartphones or force an individual to prebook for an entire group.

The current FP system is same day and it's clear that FP will be phased out. I'm willing to bet that they aren't getting rid of same day FP under the FP+ system.

Whether or not sameday FP+ can be added to the 3 prebooked or if 3 FP+ per day is the maximum per guest, prebooked or not does remain to be seen. But i'm willing to bet that there will be same day FP+.

That's my thinking on this as well. In some incarnation they'd have to be around -- doesn't make sense otherwise -- and I don't think they'd shut out so many guests this way -- bad business decision.

 

[mom2rtk]

There will have to be same day FP's.

How else will Disney accomodate same day guests? those who purchase tix by phone? those who are booking as a group?....i highly doubt they will eliminate any group from being able to use FP+. i'm sure Disney will not exclude people with no computers or smartphones or force an individual to prebook for an entire group.

The current FP system is same day and it's clear that FP will be phased out. I'm willing to bet that they aren't getting rid of same day FP under the FP+ system.

Whether or not sameday FP+ can be added to the 3 prebooked or if 3 FP+ per day is the maximum per guest, prebooked or not does remain to be seen. But i'm willing to bet that there will be same day FP+.

But if the numbers are significantly diminished, I wouldn't call it the same system at all. That's the critical piece of this to me.

If people go to the trouble to log in 60 days out, they want a reasonable shot at getting the headliners they want. If people show up at the park, they expect fastpass to be available in the same numbers as before. I'm curious to see if this can balance or if one piece of it is favored over the other.

 

[doconeill]

Did you see something confirming that same day fastpasses will indeed be offered? Because if you did, I'm thinking that would be pretty big news here. If you didn't then I think you are just dismissing what is a valid concern.

Even if there are same day fastpasses (which I sort of think there will be) we have no idea whether they will be for headliners or just second tier attractions. If there are headliners, then there's no way to know whether their numbers will be so greatly reduced that you won't know until you arrive at the park whether there are any left.

There are three possibilities with regards to same-day FP/FP+:

1) There won't be any, although guests with FP+ scheduled already can change them. This is exceedingly doubtful, since it excludes a large fraction of guests, and allowing at least FP+ scheduling the same day is no different that allowing it the day before, really.

2) There will be some, but it is only what is left over after pre-books. So, given predicted worst-case numbers, E-tickets won't have any available by the time that day arrives.

3) There will be some, a combination of leftovers plus a number held in reserve. Day guests fight over them, as there will be far less than under the current system.

2 or 3 is likely, but no idea which. Until the system is completely rolled out to everyone, we likely won't know.

And then it still remains to be seen that even if 2/3 happens, whether those who already pre-booked 3 FP+ can get more, or whether day guests will also be limited to 3 regardless.

 

[d1gitman]

...we have no idea whether they will be for headliners or just second tier attractions. If there are headliners, then there's no way to know whether their numbers will be so greatly reduced that you won't know until you arrive at the park whether there are any left.

so a fear is that prebookings will be for headliners and same day would be for the leftovers?...i highly doubt that will be the case. prebookings will have to be a minority percent of all FP+ otherwise sameday FP+ wouldn't work or even exist. Furthermore, does one really think Disney will create a FP+ system where it's only for prebookings and that the prebookers are the only ones who get to use the kiosks to mix & match their FP+'s while the same day "have nots" are in stand by lines, looking on in horror?

i think there has been too much hysteria created over the FP+ system because people think Disney owe's the superuser crowd (like us DIS'rs) the full inside scoop on what they are doing.

 

[lugnut33]

so a fear is that prebookings will be for headliners and same day would be for the leftovers?...i highly doubt that will be the case. prebookings will have to be a minority percent of all FP+ otherwise sameday FP+ wouldn't work or even exist. Furthermore, does one really think Disney will create a FP+ system where it's only for prebookings and that the prebookers are the only ones who get to use the kiosks to mix & match their FP+'s while the same day "have nots" are in stand by lines, looking on in horror?

i think there has been too much hysteria created over the FP+ system because people think Disney owe's the superuser crowd (like us DIS'rs) the full inside scoop on what they are doing.

I bet somebody said that about ADR's at one point.

 

[d1gitman]

There are three possibilities with regards to same-day FP/FP+:

1) There won't be any, although guests with FP+ scheduled already can change them. This is exceedingly doubtful, since it excludes a large fraction of guests, and allowing at least FP+ scheduling the same day is no different that allowing it the day before, really.

2) There will be some, but it is only what is left over after pre-books. So, given predicted worst-case numbers, E-tickets won't have any available by the time that day arrives.

3) There will be some, a combination of leftovers plus a number held in reserve. Day guests fight over them, as there will be far less than under the current system. Ahh, but everyone assumes that the same # of FP's being distributed under the current system will be distributed under the FP+ system. i contend that with the live data, they can actually fit more FP+ in. Also, the wasted FP's under the current system will also be utilized in teh FP+ system. I believe these will be the two factors that increase the number for FP+ for attractions...efficiency with live data and actuall utilization of wasted FP's as they can go back into the system the moment they expire.

2 or 3 is likely, but no idea which. Until the system is completely rolled out to everyone, we likely won't know.

And then it still remains to be seen that even if 2/3 happens, whether those who already pre-booked 3 FP+ can get more, or whether day guests will also be limited to 3 regardless.

.

 

[doconeill]

so a fear is that prebookings will be for headliners and same day would be for the leftovers?...i highly doubt that will be the case. prebookings will have to be a minority percent of all FP+ otherwise sameday FP+ wouldn't work or even exist. Furthermore, does one really think Disney will create a FP+ system where it's only for prebookings and that the prebookers are the only ones who get to use the kiosks to mix & match their FP+'s while the same day "have nots" are in stand by lines, looking on in horror?

i think there has been too much hysteria created over the FP+ system because people think Disney owe's the superuser crowd (like us DIS'rs) the full inside scoop on what they are doing.

The problem is that Disney can't have it both ways....it appears numbers-wise they can't offer enough E-ticket FP+s for all the guests to make the ability to pre-book seem worthwhile, AND have plenty left over for day guests, unless pre-book FP+ adoption is poor - which if it is, then according to what they want it to do for them (increase revenue by guests not having to spend in-park time figuring out what to do next - and somewhere in there is the old "and then a miracle happened" proof I think), would mean it was a failure.

IMO, of course.

 

[DaisyDew]

so a fear is that prebookings will be for headliners and same day would be for the leftovers?...i highly doubt that will be the case. prebookings will have to be a minority percent of all FP+ otherwise sameday FP+ wouldn't work or even exist. Furthermore, does one really think Disney will create a FP+ system where it's only for prebookings and that the prebookers are the only ones who get to use the kiosks to mix & match their FP+'s while the same day "have nots" are in stand by lines, looking on in horror?

As lugnut33 pointed out, that is exactly how ADR's work, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the same system for FP+.

 

[d1gitman]

I bet somebody said that about ADR's at one point.

except ADR's are a different animal. a dining experience, once seated is usually about 60min. i don't know of any attractions that are 60min long once boarded. the guest capacity of TS is vastly different than that of an attraction. although i wouldn't mind sitting on a 'food buggy' (like a doom buggy) and being fed as i go...that could be fun

 

[doconeill]

Ahh, but everyone assumes that the same # of FP's being distributed under the current system will be distributed under the FP+ system. i contend that with the live data, they can actually fit more FP+ in. Also, the wasted FP's under the current system will also be utilized in teh FP+ system. I believe these will be the two factors that increase the number for FP+ for attractions...efficiency with live data and actuall utilization of wasted FP's as they can go back into the system the moment they expire.

I contend that they've already increased the pool of FPs to be to the level of FP+, and that they CANNOT fit more in without seriously damaging the standby line more than they already have.

I can't see them assuming that current "wasted FP" will be utilized just because it is FP+. General opinion is that they've already calculated wasted FPs into their issue rates, and if suddenly all of them became used, it would cause additional problems.

 

[Robo]

1- so a fear is that prebookings will be for headliners and same day would be for the leftovers?...i highly doubt that will be the case. prebookings will have to be a minority percent of all FP+ otherwise sameday FP+ wouldn't work or even exist.

Furthermore,

2- does one really think Disney will create a FP+ system where it's only for prebookings and that the prebookers are the only ones who get to use the kiosks to mix & match their FP+'s while the same day "have nots" are in stand by lines, looking on in horror?

3- i think there has been too much hysteria created over the FP+ system because people think Disney owe's the superuser crowd (like us DIS'rs) the full inside scoop on what they are doing.

1- Yes. But, I think it will be the opposite.
WHY? Because this whole "new thing" is based on guests being able to
"pre-book their favorites." If same-day FP was going to outweigh the Pre-bookings, then why did they go to all of this trouble and expense in the first place. Illogical.

2- In a preponderance, yes.
WHY? Because this whole "new thing" is based on guests being able to
"pre-book their favorites." If same-day FP was going to outweigh the Pre-bookings, then why did they go to all of this trouble and expense in the first place. Illogical.

3- Call guests who know how the current FP system works any name you like.
The new system will, by its very existence, change things regarding same-day FP's, and do so in a major way.
That will affect ALL users.