FP+ Details Are Out!

[Zippa D Doodah]

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

I think the issue is more likely that there could be same-day FP+ only for attractions that are pointless. Is having a fistful of FPs for Tiki Room and CoP going to make you forget you can't have FPs for PP, Space, or Splash?
We won't know until more details are provided, but it is reasonable to think that this will not be a pretty picture.

 

[mom2rtk]

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.

What, no option number 4 where everyone who wants to book TSMM and Soarin ahead of time gets one, then they still have enough to satisfy the day guests?

I actually think it will be number 3. But there's just no way to know if it's possible for Disney to balance so that more people are happy with the new system than they were with the old one. I still think it's entirely possible to have too few for the prebookers and too few for the same day folks, effectively just irritating everyone except the oblivious few who still assume you have to pay for fastpass so never check it out. Oh, and weren't those the people this was supposed to help in the first place?

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.

Most of what I wrote above also applies to your post. I applaud your confidence in your own opinion. But I that sounds closer to the number 4 I described above.

Isn't one of the major points of having prebooking so that Disney can get people to commit to a park 60 days out, allowing them to adjust staffing in the most cost effective manner possible? If that's the case, then it is going to require a viable threshold of FP slots to get people to do that in large enough numbers. The fewer headliner FPs they carve out for prebooking, the more watered down their knowledge will be of who will be in which park. The more they carve out for prebooking, the less they have left for same day slots.

 

[WillAustin]

I"m not seeing how an unused FP+ can go "back into the system" to be offered to someone else in the park. Hourly capacity would be the same. If anything, an unused reservation would let a standby guest ride not increase any same day FP+ availability. Even if I never entered a park, my reserved slots would have to be held until they expire just in case I do show up.

 

[d1gitman]

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.

and they can't currently offer enough FP's for all the guests...that's why FP's sellout and they still offer traditional stand by lines. i don't see FP+ as ever looking to change taht

i see FP+ as selling out quickly but sameday FP+ being similar to current FP availability. yes it will be likely that when you book your trip 60 days out and try to prebook TSMM that availability will be gone, same as ADR's. but we all know that current same day FP's can partake in the running of hte bull's to get TSMM FP's for some time in that same day. I have no doubt that FP+ will be the same. difference might be that one can do a same day FP+ at any kiosk, thus avoiding the stampede.

 

[baileygirlsmom]

I wish they would forget about trying FP+ and do a modified version of what they experimented with a few years back at AK. They moved all the FP kiosk to the front of the park so there was no RD dash. I think guests would like it better if they could get 3 FPs for the day at a kiosk as they enter the park. The system could be programed so that each FP is 2 hours apart so that you won't have to worry about not making it to the next FP on time. As a perk for onsite guests have kiosks set up at the resorts for them to use prior to leaving for the park each day.

I am a micro manager. I plan most every detail about our trips out. I even make a list of things I need to do prior to leaving and schedule a day to do them on. 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 totally agree!

 

[Robo]

i see FP+ as selling out quickly but sameday FP+ being similar to current FP availability.

That would be a mathematical impossibility, per se.

 

[doconeill]

What, no option number 4 where everyone who wants to book TSMM and Soarin ahead of time gets one, then they still have enough to satisfy the day guests?

I actually think it will be number 3. But there's just no way to know if it's possible for Disney to balance so that more people are happy with the new system than they were with the old one. I still think it's entirely possible to have too few for the prebookers and too few for the same day folks, effectively just irritating everyone except the oblivious few who still assume you have to pay for fastpass so never check it out. Oh, and weren't those the people this was supposed to help in the first place?

I thought 2 covered what you say for 4...it's the worst-case numbers that say they won't, but if the worst-case numbers don't materialize, it's the same situation as #3, and we know that it is impossible to satisfy all day guests as it is at several attractions with the system now...and I can't say that FP+ will make that any better.

 

[mom2rtk]

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 agree. I think the past year was an exercise in establishing what they could squeeze out of that system.

 

[Robo]

-we all know that current same day FP's can partake in the running of hte bull's to get TSMM FP's for some time in that same day. I have no doubt that FP+ will be the same. difference might be that one can do a same day FP+ at any kiosk, thus avoiding the stampede.

Just to be clear, there has not been a fabled "TSMM stampede" situation in over a year.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

You know what is missing in even the most optimistic, pollyannaish speculation about FP+? Fun. WDW should be fun. FP+ sounds about as fun as meeting with your accountant, even if everything goes smooth. There is not much fun and whimsy in landing a successful bunch of FP+ ressies 60 days in advance.
I am fully hopeful that I can be swayed, but I just know how I perceive FP+ now based on 1) info released by Disney and 2) logic.

 

[DVCBELLE]

nvm

 

[d1gitman]

I"m not seeing how an unused FP+ can go "back into the system" to be offered to someone else in the park. Hourly capacity would be the same. If anything, an unused reservation would let a standby guest ride not increase any same day FP+ availability. Even if I never entered a park, my reserved slots would have to be held until they expire just in case I do show up.

they will be able to have a better prediction on FP+ levels and can put the availability of an unused FP+ into the most available time slot.

so if a FP+ for space mountain was for a 1pm-2pm return and the guest didn't use it or change it to another attraction, at 2:01 that slot goes back into the system and can be distributed into a time slot where FP+ usage isn't scheduled to be maxed out. now, if there are no slots left int he day with availabiilty, then yes, i would say that FP+ is gone. however, the real bene, is that they have realtime data to know every minute to what level the FP+ crowds are at each attraction. i think the key will be to learn to constantly check the kiosks as availability will constantly be changing. the analogy i've used before is the 'jobs board' on the Bee-Movie...that's what will be going on in the background with the FP+ system. personally i think it would be awesome to put it on a jumbotron infront of each attraction to see the availabillity fluctuate constantly.

 

[d1gitman]

There are 74 table service restaurants that accept ADRs...

There are currently 25 FP attractions...

I would say the demand for restaurants is far less than the demand for FP.

but whats the hourly capacity of the attractions vs the hourly capacity of TS restaurants....i guarantee you the attractions can push exponentialy more people per hour through than the restaurants

 

[mom2rtk]

Just to be clear, there has not been a fabled "TSMM stampede" situation in over a year.

Well, just wait until the same day pool goes down. While opening early and not holding people for an internal rope drop has made a huge difference, I think the prospect of them running out even sooner is likely to turn even the improved system into a stressful situation again.

 

[d1gitman]

You know what is missing in even the most optimistic, pollyannaish speculation about FP+? Fun. WDW should be fun. FP+ sounds about as fun as meeting with your accountant, even if everything goes smooth. There is not much fun and whimsy in landing a successful bunch of FP+ ressies 60 days in advance.
I am fully hopeful that I can be swayed, but I just know how I perceive FP+ now based on 1) info released by Disney and 2) logic.

i believe the fun will be in the kiosks...learning to check the early and often...just like how current FP works. current FP works best when you do it early, which leads to often since durations between FP times are shorter with low crowds.

FP+ will alsow allow you to change your mind...something that FP cannot offer. i think FP+ will be way more spontaneous than FP

 

[Shaden]

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.

Ok, but there will HAVE to be a HUGE amount of pre-bookings as well. We all know how Disney is rolling this out, for guests to be able to book their most desired rides 60 days out.

Now imagine if people start going online at 60 days out, and can't book Space Mountain, or Thunder Run, or Star Tours etc. People are going to freak, hell, they might even cancel their trips, which you can still easily do at 60days out.

So people who are suggesting there will still be a ton of same day FPs .... I just don't see that logic. Either they go with the Pre-booking system, or they go with the same day. Not that left overs couldn't be available same day, but there will have to be a massive amount available for pre-booking, and its going to have to be for the headliner rides.

 

[mom2rtk]

I thought 2 covered what you say for 4...it's the worst-case numbers that say they won't, but if the worst-case numbers don't materialize, it's the same situation as #3, and we know that it is impossible to satisfy all day guests as it is at several attractions with the system now...and I can't say that FP+ will make that any better.

I thought your number 2 said headliners might be gone already by same day. My number 4 is happiness and light for everyone. Enough prebooking slots to make everyone happy. But also enough same day slots (even fore headliners) to make all those folks happy..... assume a total number of same day slots as they have now.

 

[d1gitman]

Just to be clear, there has not been a fabled "TSMM stampede" situation in over a year.

maybe no stampede, but when we were at DHS in March, there was a definite contingent making a hurried effort to get to TSMM FP machines at RD.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ok, but there will HAVE to be a HUGE amount of pre-bookings as well. We all know how Disney is rolling this out, for guests to be able to book their most desired rides 60 days out.

Now imagine if people start going online at 60 days out, and can't book Space Mountain, or Thunder Run, or Star Tours etc. People are going to freak, hell, they might even cancel their trips, which you can still easily do at 60days out.

So people who are suggesting there will still be a ton of same day FPs .... I just don't see that logic. Either they go with the Pre-booking system, or they go with the same day. Not that left overs couldn't be available same day, but there will have to be a massive amount available for pre-booking, and its going to have to be for the headliner rides.

That's right. Tom Staggs promised me 3 mountains. Or maybe that was a perk reserved for his own kids. I'll have to go back and read that again.......

 

[DVCBELLE]

but whats the hourly capacity of the attractions vs the hourly capacity of TS restaurants....i guarantee you the attractions can push exponentialy more people per hour through than the restaurants

You caught it before I took it down...

While a restaurant has a lower capacity - it also has a much lower demand. Many guests eat CS at least one meal a day or eat off-site.

The rides aren't currently able to meet capacity during busy times...causing long lines.

At least with an ADR if you get shut out - there are still other places to eat. Getting shut out of rides would pretty much kill your experience.