FP+ Details Are Out!

[Yellowstonetim]

You will probably need to have a ticket or a room/package reservation to make FP reservations and you can pick a day, and then change it later. People will change these all the time and many will make some reservations early and then wait for others. Many won't use it.

You don't have to use your smartphone, you can use the thingies in the park. I will use mine. Through my phone they can offer me info on extra fast passes or even rides with short lines! I can trade fast passes and see what is available. People looking at smartphones will be a lot better than people running to get FPs! I can enjoy the ambiance more by spending 10 seconds on my smartphone then I can running across the park and back dodging people.

Think outside the box and see the capabilities here. Your fastpass will be tied to your account and you. So they will know a lot more. If I have a fastpass for 2:00 and leave the part at 1:00 they will know. Maybe when I leave the part at 1:00 they will say - 92% of people that leave the park an hour before FP time do not return so add a FP to the availability. They could do this without taking away my fast pass, based on probability. If I enter another park at 1:30, they will release my fast pass.

So many people change their mind on the fly and don't use a fast pass: Someone gets sick, some get tired, it rains or gets cold, and then it is lost. In the new system they can trade it in for something else and regardless Disney can adjust available FP's. Win, win, win!

Someone said they were a micro-manager but they don't plan what ride they are going to ride. I found this very interesting. You aren't as much as micro-manager as you think. At least compared to my son and I. We know basically what rides we want to ride when, MORE than six months before we go. Already have our plans for September so we could make most of our FP selections now. Based on projected park attendance, hours, and special activities we know what days we will be in what park. Then we know what the first few rides will be and what rides we want to FP. We will want to do these late morning, maybe early afternoon, etc. It doesn't bother me at all to think about at least a few headliners that far out. Don't most of us know what we want to ride?

Also the 3 FP in one park only, is clearly the minimum they will guarantee. They cannot promise more, but will surely make more available at that day or even on the fly. If you change parks they MAY let you use more there, but it is not guaranteed.

As mentioned and argued by others, the availability of information on not only FP usage but FP user behavior is going to make this system extremely flexible to adjustment literally by the minute!

Will there be hoops to jump through and limitations? Of course! There are now! Why do we all talk about FP runners? Because Disney designed in limitations to make it hard to use the FP by making you go to the attraction. Nobody screams about how unfair this is because we are accustomed to it and have adjusted our "game."

No more FP running!! Walk in the gate and pick the rides you want (if you haven't already) at machines that will be available all over the place!

Also, due to ADR's and FP+ more people will make plans that Disney knows about and Disney can plan better!

I can't wait to be walking through the parks checking lines and get a buzz from my ap asking me if I'd like another FP for X and telling me that lines at Y and Z are almost zero, and that A has been closed temporarily.

INFORMATION IS A BEAUTIFUL THING!

 

[larryz]

You guys explained it all really well, IMHO, so nothing really to add to that except to say that this gets to part of why I'm optimistic about the system. 1) More efficiency than current FP system in filling slots / smoothing out flow, and 2) SO MUCH flexibility wrt what Disney can adjust as time goes on and real data and feedback come in.

There are so many things that they can dynamically dial up or down, balance btwn FP/standby (in more real-time fashion), potentially throw in "bonus" same-day passes to direct flow among attractions some, adjust number of reserved or same-day FP allowed, etc.

I remain concerned about the IT piece in the short-ish term, but the system overall holds promise in my book.

Objection! Assuming facts clearly not in evidence.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Objection! Assuming facts clearly not in evidence.

Overruled.

 

[rastuso]

You will probably need to have a ticket or a room/package reservation to make FP reservations and you can pick a day, and then change it later. People will change these all the time and many will make some reservations early and then wait for others. Many won't use it.

You don't have to use your smartphone, you can use the thingies in the park. I will use mine. Through my phone they can offer me info on extra fast passes or even rides with short lines! I can trade fast passes and see what is available. People looking at smartphones will be a lot better than people running to get FPs! I can enjoy the ambiance more by spending 10 seconds on my smartphone then I can running across the park and back dodging people.

Think outside the box and see the capabilities here. Your fastpass will be tied to your account and you. So they will know a lot more. If I have a fastpass for 2:00 and leave the part at 1:00 they will know. Maybe when I leave the part at 1:00 they will say - 92% of people that leave the park an hour before FP time do not return so add a FP to the availability. They could do this without taking away my fast pass, based on probability. If I enter another park at 1:30, they will release my fast pass.

So many people change their mind on the fly and don't use a fast pass: Someone gets sick, some get tired, it rains or gets cold, and then it is lost. In the new system they can trade it in for something else and regardless Disney can adjust available FP's. Win, win, win!

Someone said they were a micro-manager but they don't plan what ride they are going to ride. I found this very interesting. You aren't as much as micro-manager as you think. At least compared to my son and I. We know basically what rides we want to ride when, MORE than six months before we go. Already have our plans for September so we could make most of our FP selections now. Based on projected park attendance, hours, and special activities we know what days we will be in what park. Then we know what the first few rides will be and what rides we want to FP. We will want to do these late morning, maybe early afternoon, etc. It doesn't bother me at all to think about at least a few headliners that far out. Don't most of us know what we want to ride?

Also the 3 FP in one park only, is clearly the minimum they will guarantee. They cannot promise more, but will surely make more available at that day or even on the fly. If you change parks they MAY let you use more there, but it is not guaranteed.

As mentioned and argued by others, the availability of information on not only FP usage but FP user behavior is going to make this system extremely flexible to adjustment literally by the minute!

Will there be hoops to jump through and limitations? Of course! There are now! Why do we all talk about FP runners? Because Disney designed in limitations to make it hard to use the FP by making you go to the attraction. Nobody screams about how unfair this is because we are accustomed to it and have adjusted our "game."

No more FP running!! Walk in the gate and pick the rides you want (if you haven't already) at machines that will be available all over the place!

Also, due to ADR's and FP+ more people will make plans that Disney knows about and Disney can plan better!

I can't wait to be walking through the parks checking lines and get a buzz from my ap asking me if I'd like another FP for X and telling me that lines at Y and Z are almost zero, and that A has been closed temporarily.

INFORMATION IS A BEAUTIFUL THING!

This is a great, best case scenario. I usually get total crap service in DL, haven't been to WDW since getting a high end smart phone, but moving all this to cell networks won't be good.

To think you'll be the only one finding out these sweet FPs just opened up, and you'll easily snatch them up in a few seconds is ridiculously optimistic.

I could even see them socializing the FPs even more, and only let people who don't already have a bunch to get first grabs at those 7 pm TSMM FP+s that magically appeared at noon. About that time, Walt himself may walk up and give you some popcorn too.

Jason

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

You will probably need to have a ticket or a room/package reservation to make FP reservations and you can pick a day, and then change it later. People will change these all the time and many will make some reservations early and then wait for others. Many won't use it.

You don't have to use your smartphone, you can use the thingies in the park. I will use mine. Through my phone they can offer me info on extra fast passes or even rides with short lines! I can trade fast passes and see what is available. People looking at smartphones will be a lot better than people running to get FPs! I can enjoy the ambiance more by spending 10 seconds on my smartphone then I can running across the park and back dodging people.

Think outside the box and see the capabilities here. Your fastpass will be tied to your account and you. So they will know a lot more. If I have a fastpass for 2:00 and leave the part at 1:00 they will know. Maybe when I leave the part at 1:00 they will say - 92% of people that leave the park an hour before FP time do not return so add a FP to the availability. They could do this without taking away my fast pass, based on probability. If I enter another park at 1:30, they will release my fast pass.

So many people change their mind on the fly and don't use a fast pass: Someone gets sick, some get tired, it rains or gets cold, and then it is lost. In the new system they can trade it in for something else and regardless Disney can adjust available FP's. Win, win, win!

Someone said they were a micro-manager but they don't plan what ride they are going to ride. I found this very interesting. You aren't as much as micro-manager as you think. At least compared to my son and I. We know basically what rides we want to ride when, MORE than six months before we go. Already have our plans for September so we could make most of our FP selections now. Based on projected park attendance, hours, and special activities we know what days we will be in what park. Then we know what the first few rides will be and what rides we want to FP. We will want to do these late morning, maybe early afternoon, etc. It doesn't bother me at all to think about at least a few headliners that far out. Don't most of us know what we want to ride?

Yeah, I USED to tour like that but sometimes a good trip is one where you let the magic unfold and let things happen. Over planning becomes tiresome for most. I don't even like ADR's anymore because they tie me down too much. If I enter mk on a day that should be lower crowds and it becomes wall to wall crowds (this has happened to me many times) I like to be smart and hop to another park. I have a general skeleton plan most trips these days but like to just see where things take us. Vacation should be fun, not making all of your appointments on time-I do that enough in the real world.

Depending on how or if pre planned fp's affect my same day availability, I will probably just opt for the same day fp's as I don't want to be tied to one specific park and lose any same day options. If pre planned fp's don't affect same day Fp availability, then I'd probably make some but many would probably get changed day of anyway, which could theoretically cause me to get locked out of fp's for the headliners. They really need to address the hopper issue-so far this whole one park per day has me a bit worried. My trips are usually two parks per day-and utilizing Fp in both.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Objection! Assuming facts clearly not in evidence.

Careful! This could be seen as snarky or insensitive!!

LOL!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Cafeen]

You will probably need to have a ticket or a room/package reservation to make FP reservations and you can pick a day, and then change it later. People will change these all the time and many will make some reservations early and then wait for others. Many won't use it.

You don't have to use your smartphone, you can use the thingies in the park. I will use mine. Through my phone they can offer me info on extra fast passes or even rides with short lines! I can trade fast passes and see what is available. People looking at smartphones will be a lot better than people running to get FPs! I can enjoy the ambiance more by spending 10 seconds on my smartphone then I can running across the park and back dodging people.

Think outside the box and see the capabilities here. Your fastpass will be tied to your account and you. So they will know a lot more. If I have a fastpass for 2:00 and leave the part at 1:00 they will know. Maybe when I leave the part at 1:00 they will say - 92% of people that leave the park an hour before FP time do not return so add a FP to the availability. They could do this without taking away my fast pass, based on probability. If I enter another park at 1:30, they will release my fast pass.

So many people change their mind on the fly and don't use a fast pass: Someone gets sick, some get tired, it rains or gets cold, and then it is lost. In the new system they can trade it in for something else and regardless Disney can adjust available FP's. Win, win, win!

Someone said they were a micro-manager but they don't plan what ride they are going to ride. I found this very interesting. You aren't as much as micro-manager as you think. At least compared to my son and I. We know basically what rides we want to ride when, MORE than six months before we go. Already have our plans for September so we could make most of our FP selections now. Based on projected park attendance, hours, and special activities we know what days we will be in what park. Then we know what the first few rides will be and what rides we want to FP. We will want to do these late morning, maybe early afternoon, etc. It doesn't bother me at all to think about at least a few headliners that far out. Don't most of us know what we want to ride?

Also the 3 FP in one park only, is clearly the minimum they will guarantee. They cannot promise more, but will surely make more available at that day or even on the fly. If you change parks they MAY let you use more there, but it is not guaranteed.

As mentioned and argued by others, the availability of information on not only FP usage but FP user behavior is going to make this system extremely flexible to adjustment literally by the minute!

Will there be hoops to jump through and limitations? Of course! There are now! Why do we all talk about FP runners? Because Disney designed in limitations to make it hard to use the FP by making you go to the attraction. Nobody screams about how unfair this is because we are accustomed to it and have adjusted our "game."

No more FP running!! Walk in the gate and pick the rides you want (if you haven't already) at machines that will be available all over the place!

Also, due to ADR's and FP+ more people will make plans that Disney knows about and Disney can plan better!

I can't wait to be walking through the parks checking lines and get a buzz from my ap asking me if I'd like another FP for X and telling me that lines at Y and Z are almost zero, and that A has been closed temporarily.

INFORMATION IS A BEAUTIFUL THING!

P.S. I think guessing and making pronouncements based on guesses IS MAKING THINGS UP! It is a matter of semantics. And as far as it being educated guessing: I think it is 98% guessing and 2% educated. PLEASE don't cancel 2014 plans based on this thread!!!! But everyone is entitled to their own opinion and is entitled to express it here.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

This is a great, best case scenario. I usually get total crap service in DL, haven't been to WDW since getting a high end smart phone, but moving all this to cell networks won't be good.

To think you'll be the only one finding out these sweet FPs just opened up, and you'll easily snatch them up in a few seconds is ridiculously optimistic.

I could even see them socializing the FPs even more, and only let people who don't already have a bunch to get first grabs at those 7 pm TSMM FP+s that magically appeared at noon. About that time, Walt himself may walk up and give you some popcorn too.

Jason

I understand they will have wifi in all the parks so that cell coverage will not be necessary to use your account. I am not going to get everything I want, but everyone - including those who stop at the in-park machines - will benefit from a dynamic adjustable system. they will send everyone, or selected ones who didn't get fast passes early, the new availabilities. They will also probably advertise anything that isn't being used.

The thing is, all of this is adjustable. It won't be perfect, and everyone won't like the decisions made, but Disney will be able to customize the process and change the FP parameters anytime they want. Daily. Hourly. Or even by the minute.

Might they blow all this and get it wrong? Sure. But it isn't likely. And even if they do get it wrong, when people complain, they can respond with changes almost instantly. In fact, you may be able to complain through your app and they will respond through the app!

And the app will be customizable with characters to interact with you. Walt will be the one I'll choose. Then when I walk by a kiosk, Walt will pop up and note that the popcorn is on sale. See. Walt will bring me popcorn.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

And the app will be customizable with characters to interact with you. Walt will be the one I'll choose. Then when I walk by a kiosk, Walt will pop up and note that the popcorn is on sale. See. Walt will bring me popcorn.

Awwwe! I like this! This made me happy, Yellowstonetim! Definite flair for marketing!! You should work for Disney!!

In all seriousness, I really love the way you think - so creative.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[doconeill]

This is some of that high school Algebra that we all said we'd never use in real life.

Thus, the reason for the quote in my signature...

(I seem to have missed a lot of discussion, but the NE DISMeet began today...)

 

[magicbob]

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.

There was some speculation on a previous thread that if you hadn't entered the park something like 15 minutes prior to your time, you already forfeited it and it would go up on the "bee board" for someone else to snag DURING the original window.

i believe the fun will be in the kiosks...learning to check the early and often...

Yeah, THAT sounds like fun!

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.

And imagine how much more ticked they'll be if they can't get a slot 60 days out because many slots are being held for the shlubs who show up the day of without having planned or pre-booked anything?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There was some speculation on a previous thread that if you hadn't entered the park something like 15 minutes prior to your time, you already forfeited it and it would go up on the "bee board" for someone else to snag DURING the original window.

I totally missed that. Did that come from someone reporting that they might have experienced that in testing at some point? Or from something Disney said?

Not getting on anyone's case if this was pure speculation, just trying to understand its origin.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Awwwe! I like this! This made me happy, Yellowstonetim! Definite flair for marketing!! You should work for Disney!!

In all seriousness, I really love the way you think - so creative.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thanks, working for Disney would be a dream! If only they would give me a commission for my posts!


I just try to stay positive. If you're asking yourself is the glass half full or half empty, you're looking at it wrong: What matters is that you are alive and have a glass, and it has cool clear water to enjoy and bring you health! God is good. Life is good. That's how to look at a half glass of water.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thanks, working for Disney would be a dream! If only they would give me a commission for my posts!


I just try to stay positive. If you're asking yourself is the glass half full or half empty, you're looking at it wrong: What matters is that you are alive and have a glass, and it has cool clear water to enjoy and bring you health! God is good. Life is good. That's how to look at a half glass of water.

Can I bookmark this post and come back to it for a Zen moment when I start to get frustrated? Must say I do a much better job of it when NOT on this board... and USUALLY I do a good job of it ON these boards but some days... Eesh! LOL! Thx for this lovely post -- and Disney SHOULD give you a commission!!

 

[d1gitman]

...Yeah, THAT sounds like fun!...

I know, standing at a kiosk doesn't appear to be fun...but what are the choices now?

Schlep it to the attraction of choice to get FP's...either use your smartphone app to see FP distributions times - for the anti smartphone crowd, blindly find out what the FP distribution times are (or worse, that FP is down or sold out) once you get to the attraction.

Then go get in line for other attractions until your FP return time is ready. Then repeat the process all over again.

or....

go to the nearest kiosk, thus avoiding a trek across the park, see a list of available choices and times, have the flexibility to make changes.

gee, I dunno, being tied down by a paper ticket that can't be changed or offer flexibility of choice? or utilizing a kiosk (or smartphone) that offers choice and flexibility? I know what sounds more fun to me.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I know, standing at a kiosk doesn't appear to be fun...but what are the choices now?

Schlep it to the attraction of choice to get FP's...either use your smartphone app to see FP distributions times - for the anti smartphone crowd, blindly find out what the FP distribution times are (or worse, that FP is down or sold out) once you get to the attraction.

Then go get in line for other attractions until your FP return time is ready. Then repeat the process all over again.

or....

go to the nearest kiosk, thus avoiding a trek across the park, see a list of available choices and times, have the flexibility to make changes.

gee, I dunno, being tied down by a paper ticket that can't be changed or offer flexibility of choice? or utilizing a kiosk (or smartphone) that offers choice and flexibility? I know what sounds more fun to me.

I agree (big shock, right!?). I was thinking about this yesterday after posting re: people getting too glued to their smartphones with the advent of FP+. I agreed that this could possibly intrude for some, unless careful to LOOK AWAY from the screen more than at it while on vacation. But thinking about it in this way, I'd spend less time looking at my phone for a couple of minutes and making a change to a FP+ (for instance) than crossing the park, etc. as you say above. As long as each look at that phone for FP+ doesn't become a doorway to checking email for JUST A QUICK SECOND, etc. And minimizing those cross-park jaunts might increase the odds of happy kids by the end of a long day.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I totally missed that. Did that come from someone reporting that they might have experienced that in testing at some point? Or from something Disney said?

If you go and read the patents for the system (which I have--they're fascinating!) this is the type of thing that they envision. I'd say a patent filed by Disney lawyers is about as official of a source as you can get.

I still have no faith that the vision as described in those patents can be executed on in a real life setting based on the performance of MDE so far.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I know, standing at a kiosk doesn't appear to be fun...but what are the choices now?

Schlep it to the attraction of choice to get FP's...either use your smartphone app to see FP distributions times - for the anti smartphone crowd, blindly find out what the FP distribution times are (or worse, that FP is down or sold out) once you get to the attraction.

Then go get in line for other attractions until your FP return time is ready. Then repeat the process all over again.

or....

go to the nearest kiosk, thus avoiding a trek across the park, see a list of available choices and times, have the flexibility to make changes.

gee, I dunno, being tied down by a paper ticket that can't be changed or offer flexibility of choice? or utilizing a kiosk (or smartphone) that offers choice and flexibility? I know what sounds more fun to me.

I dunno, maybe we're more distractable (is that a word? Spell check says not...) than most people, but that "sclep" across the park just isn't that burdensome to us, because there are so many things to see and do along the way. It isn't like we're just standing around, scratching our noses doing nothing while we're waiting for our FP windows to open right now. But the one thing we're NOT doing is shopping, because we're not shoppers. Nothing Disney does with the FP system is going to get me to spend more money on vacation because that's just not how we roll.

 

[Angel Ariel]

gee, I dunno, being tied down by a paper ticket that can't be changed or offer flexibility of choice? or utilizing a kiosk (or smartphone) that offers choice and flexibility? I know what sounds more fun to me.

I don't like having to have my phone out at all during our trips. It was nice to just put it away and not think about it and be in the moment with my family. I'm really not a fan of the idea of having to have it out and ready to use in order to use FP+.

As for the kiosks...they'd be fine - as long as there are plenty of them to use around the parks (which we haven't seen much evidence of, AFAIK). If there's only a handful of them, I would be surprised if there weren't constant lines at them as well. As much as I don't want to deal with my phone, I also don't want to wait in line to manage the system that's supposed to help me stay out of lines...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

If you go and read the patents for the system (which I have--they're fascinating!) this is the type of thing that they envision. I'd say a patent filed by Disney lawyers is about as official of a source as you can get.

I still have no faith that the vision as described in those patents can be executed on in a real life setting based on the performance of MDE so far.

Reeeeaaaallly... interesting!! Thanks for letting me know.

Agreed re: the faith in MDE to date... they also don't have to use that "functionality", of course, even though it's described in the patent. I could see that being cause for crankiness... I run in 15min before my return time, make a beeline to Space Mountain, and my FP+ is gone! Doesn't sound like the best idea to me... particularly if such a fact would just appear in fine print... they'd have to be REALLY clear about that!