FP+ Details Are Out!

[DizneyLizzy]

I have tried to keep an open mind about FP+, but after a recent (fabulous) trip during which I paid attention to things like how much we used regular fast passes and how often we altered our plans, I am just dreading this.

On my most recent trip for example, on our Magic Kingdom morning, we used 5 fast passes before 1:30 PM, and later that evening, we used 1 fast pass at the Studios. Our day would have been very different had we not been able to use that many fast passes. Because it was summer, some of our plans changed day to day based on seasonal thunderstorms. It was easy to change our plans at the last minute because we weren't held to any ride reservation system.

Our trip was 4 days long - we had to utilize fast pass and rope drop each day to make the most of our time. In addition to being against ride scheduling 60 days in advance (with an app that, quite frankly, sucks...) my biggest concern is being restricted to 3 fast passes per day in the same park.

My second biggest concern is the bracelets. I can't stand having things on my wrist, so I'm hoping there is an opt-out for this too. Carrying a card in my pocket doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I have been over this and over this in my brain, and I cannot see what category of park guest this benefits. The way I see it, it will only make the mad dash to rides like TSM even worse, because all the folks who couldn't get a FP+ for the ride won't be able to rely on FP to make their wait shorter, so your only option will be a rope drop dash or a long standby wait.

 

[doconeill]

I keep seeing that offsite and local guests might be shut out of riding the popular rides. Really? Does Disney want to take the chance of irritating a large group of people who spend money for passes, food, shopping and so on just to get a few more people onsite?

That seems downright stupid.

I don't see anything that shuts them out, per se. However, they'd need to plan in advance, unless it turns out that the E-tickets don't get booked up as quickly as believed.

 

[doconeill]

Not what the linked story says. Basically, it says all three mist be used in the SAME park.

I think we're all saying the same thing...

 

[Shaden]

just wanted to post this, don't know if this is accurate, but its from the same site, but has MORE details, including things like Paper FP will no longer exist, and that some attractions will be FP+ only. ...


http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/my-magic-details.867852/

 

[coco392]

it would work for us- we don't have park hopper plans

we usually do rope drop with two fastpass rides as soon as we hit the park -without using fp. then we use fastpass for other big rides during day.

if we were park hopping I would do rope drop and hit the biggies without fastpass then use fastpass for the second park I visit booking the e ticket rides for late afternoon/evening

 

[coco392]

I keep seeing that offsite and local guests might be shut out of riding the popular rides. Really? Does Disney want to take the chance of irritating a large group of people who spend money for passes, food, shopping and so on just to get a few more people onsite?

That seems downright stupid.

I guess it's a matter of how long you want to wait

user pays system, there has to be advantages for paying the premium to stay on site. otherwise why would anyone stay on site. the research must show the most money is made from onsite guests.

 

[doconeill]

just wanted to post this, don't know if this is accurate, but its from the same site, but has MORE details, including things like Paper FP will no longer exist, and that some attractions will be FP+ only. ...


http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/my-magic-details.867852/

I've expected that paper FP was going away, since it's always been planned that regular FP was going away

I think what they mean is that some things, like the parade viewing area, can only be obtained by FP+, and you can't simply wait and if there is extra space, fill it in.

I'm interested in the claim that the battery can be disabled...I know of no way to do that without risk of damage and certainly it not being waterproof any longer...

 

[Jennasis]

Even IF they allow you to pick up additional same day FP (in addition to your allotted 3) I can't imagine there will be much left to choose from...if any, especially at busy times, and day-of FP will run out VERY quickly.

I'm also concerned about WHICH attractions you can get your super-speshul-pre-reserved-FP+ for. It doesn't sound like you can pick 3 of ANY rides you want. What if someone wanted TWO RNR passes? Or RNR/ToT/Star Tours? It sounds like you'll be given the option of choosing from groups of attractions...some of which you may not want/need FP for or may not want to ride at all (Stitch anyone?)

 

[babygirlamg]

Do you have to use this new system??? Will standy by and normal ADR's be available?

 

[doconeill]

Do you have to use this new system??? Will standy by and normal ADR's be available?

I think you mean FP...

Standby isn't going anywhere.

For the time being, normal FP is still around. Although testing is allowing for the use of both, it is expected that with normal use you have to choose - old or new. If you choose new, you can't use the old, but you get all the benefits of MagicBands, etc.

If you want to use the old system, you cannot get a MagicBand.

Eventually, regular FP will go away and FP+ will be the only system available.

 

[Shaden]

Even IF they allow you to pick up additional same day FP (in addition to your allotted 3) I can't imagine there will be much left to choose from...if any, especially at busy times, and day-of FP will run out VERY quickly.

I'm also concerned about WHICH attractions you can get your super-speshul-pre-reserved-FP+ for. It doesn't sound like you can pick 3 of ANY rides you want. What if someone wanted TWO RNR passes? Or RNR/ToT/Star Tours? It sounds like you'll be given the option of choosing from groups of attractions...some of which you may not want/need FP for or may not want to ride at all (Stitch anyone?)

Yea see this is my other HUGE problem with this system.

A VERY common thing we, and I am sure many of you, have done at WDW is be flexible with FPs !!! Ok, so at AK, standby for the Safari is 60 mins, but Everest is only 25, and kali river rapids is 20, Fast Pass return on Safari is for an hour and 10 mins from now, No Brainer !!! Grab Safari FPs, go ride Either Kali then Everest (if you want Everest to dry you off ? ) or the reverse, once you are within the FP time for safari, you grab another for Everest or dinosaur, then head over and walk right on to Safari, then back to enjoy your FP, BAMN ! you just cranked out the most efficient possible ride combo ... there are a million variations of doing this that I know people do.

Under the current system, if I book an FP for Everest, Kali River Rapids, and Dinosaur, I hit my window, have to use my FPs and crank those out, then end up sitting in line for 60 mins waiting for my safari.

FP+ is simply an impossible system to work well with, because you do NOT know the conditions, crowd levels, ride popularity on any given day of your trip SEVENTY fricken days out !!!
Let alone the unexpected surprises, you or kiddo gets sick, you skip the park you had planned that day, but want to hit it the next, sorry, you have FPs at another park booked. Too bad.

 

[meaneyka]

So, nothing new really (with the exception of the AP blub). The same vacation crippling limitations are in place and an even broader description of the window, suggesting that you won't even be able to reliably plan any FP+s near any ADRs (if you have a 4:30 CP ADR and you pick "mid-day", what's stopping the system from giving you a conflicting time? This assumes the old 1 hour windows and now a new-fangled "Return between 10:30am and 5:00pm" for the "mid-day" selection or something of that nature).

Can't say that I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully things do change and improve before my first trip after it goes live. (e.g. I'm doubting it'll be up this Oct, so the first trip after that, which would likely be 2015).

Hi - just joined yesterday - been researching almost daily for last 5 weeks or so. But I don't know what CP and ADR represent? Pls advise. I think the FP+ will be a great thing, and hopefully wrinkles will be ironed out before Apr 2014 - our first trip. I figure the FP+ will let you choose the part of the day, then you choose the hour time frame...hopefully the CM and staff testing will post or let us know the more detailed rules soon

 

[meaneyka]

I've expected that paper FP was going away, since it's always been planned that regular FP was going away

I think what they mean is that some things, like the parade viewing area, can only be obtained by FP+, and you can't simply wait and if there is extra space, fill it in.

I'm interested in the claim that the battery can be disabled...I know of no way to do that without risk of damage and certainly it not being waterproof any longer...

I was told yesterday by a CM (on chat) that you will chose either key (FP) or bracelet (FP+) so I'm unclear if FP is going away...

 

[PetuniaAnn]

ADR- advanced dining reservation

CP is Crystal Palace, I think. I am new too

 

[doconeill]

Hi - just joined yesterday - been researching almost daily for last 5 weeks or so. But I don't know what CP and ADR represent? Pls advise. I think the FP+ will be a great thing, and hopefully wrinkles will be ironed out before Apr 2014 - our first trip. I figure the FP+ will let you choose the part of the day, then you choose the hour time frame...hopefully the CM and staff testing will post or let us know the more detailed rules soon

ADR - Advanced Dining Reservation
CP - I'm assuming Crystal Palace

As for the aforementioned problem - if it gives you a conflicting time - change it. You don't HAVE to keep the pre-selected times. They are just suggested for your convenience. You can change them afterwards, subject to availability.

 

[meaneyka]

I guess it's a matter of how long you want to wait

user pays system, there has to be advantages for paying the premium to stay on site. otherwise why would anyone stay on site. the research must show the most money is made from onsite guests.

I was thinking about this - was told there will be a cap on FP+, but still, it sure does limit chance of off site guests getting FP (since off site cannot get FP+). The analysis must have been done, but I figure it is also a way to lure people on site - I agree there - surely Disney has done research to not lose off site guests, one would think!

 

[kandb]

The one thing I think stinks about it the most is that you could get 3 fastpasses for rides that you think might have a wait and then show up with your fast passes and there isn't a wait at the ride you go a fastpast for. Am I making sense? Who know's 60 days in advance if a ride is going to be crowded and if you are going to need a fastpast at a certain time? The whole advance thing makes no sense to me. Imagine wasting a fp+ on a ride that you booked 60 days in advance, getting to the ride at the return time/date and there being a 10 minute standby wait time? That would stink.

 

[Shaden]

The one thing I think stinks about it the most is that you could get 3 fastpasses for rides that you think might have a wait and then show up with your fast passes and there isn't a wait at the ride you go a fastpast for. Am I making sense? Who know's 60 days in advance if a ride is going to be crowded and if you are going to need a fastpast at a certain time? The whole advance thing makes no sense to me.

Exactly what I was just saying, the current system allows you to grab an FP for a busy ride, and go to another less busy ride (or two) then head back for your FP.

with FP+ ... you might have FPs for rides at a time that aren't busy, then when your FPs are burned you might go to get on a 4th ride and have an hour wait ...

 

[Cafeen]

Hi - just joined yesterday - been researching almost daily for last 5 weeks or so. But I don't know what CP and ADR represent? Pls advise. I think the FP+ will be a great thing, and hopefully wrinkles will be ironed out before Apr 2014 - our first trip. I figure the FP+ will let you choose the part of the day, then you choose the hour time frame...hopefully the CM and staff testing will post or let us know the more detailed rules soon

In this context, CP = Crystal Palace.

ADR = Advanced Dining Reservation

I was told yesterday by a CM (on chat) that you will chose either key (FP) or bracelet (FP+) so I'm unclear if FP is going away...

FP+ is not really limited to keys vs bands. Both keys and bands have the RFID pieces in them, which is what enables them for FP+ (among other things).

However, as it currently stands, it IS an either or for keys/plastic media and bands. So, she was partially correct. In reality, most of the "on the ground" CMs don't really have a full idea of how the system will work either. I'm sure once they get official notices and training, then we'll get them here fairly soon after.

 

[doconeill]

I was told yesterday by a CM (on chat) that you will chose either key (FP) or bracelet (FP+) so I'm unclear if FP is going away...

Not all CMs have all the details yet.

Disney has said that you can opt for a MagicBand or an RFID card. BOTH will work with FP+. Only the card at this point works with regular FP because it still has the magnetic stripe that the FP kiosks can read.

The original plan was that if you opted for RFID media of either type, you were tied to FP+, period. But they changed that a bit, likely because of the delays in getting the system rolled out. But there is still every indication that it will be either-or in the end, and eventually no choice.