FP+ Details Are Out!

[d1gitman]

...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...

i would think of it this way...how many FP kiosks are there now? and you have to walk to the specific location of the attraction you want to FP. During busy times there are lines at FP kiosks for the top attractions. to me the current FP set up is already feeling dated.

with FP+ you can use any kiosk...so if one has a line, look for another on the way to wherever in the park you are going.

personally, i look forward to this flexibility as it's always an issue who is going to be the FP runner in our group (either me or my DS12 - who no longer looks at FP running as a novelty)

more than likely, we will use our smartphones but the beauty is it wont be necessary.

 

[d1gitman]

...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...

and that is good, that works for you...but for us, if we are focusing on tomorrowland and working our way into fantasyland, we don't want to have to schlep it all the way to BTMRR or Splash to get a FP for later, then schlep it back to where we were. currently, in order to FP the headliners we have to dart around the park while trying to focus on the lands we are in...that's a lot of wasted steps. with a kiosk (or smartphone) we no longer have to leave the area we are in to FP for an attraction elsewhere.

we too like to "smell the roses" along the way and let sponteneity happen but if we want to utilize FP and do the headliners with little to no wait, we are forced to schlep it.

 

[Robo]

i would think of it this way...how many FP kiosks are there now? and you have to walk to the specific location of the attraction you want to FP. During busy times there are lines at FP kiosks for the top attractions. to me the current FP set up is already feeling dated.

with FP+ you can use any kiosk...so if one has a line, look for another on the way to wherever in the park you are going.

From what we see (at this point) there would be far fewer of the "interactive display kiosks" than there are FP attractions.

The "touch-point Mickey head" posts/kiosks are just that.
They don't have the ability to display info.

This low number of FP-check kiosks are why we are discussing long lines.

Could they install more?
Sure.
But, that's one of the reasons (again) why we see inadequacy in the currently-installed hardware.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

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!

Just to be clear...the patents don't come out and say "If someone isn't in the park 15 minutes before their window open, the FP is released into the wild" but what they do talk about is a dynamic situation in which your location information (remember, those magic bands are to help Disney track where guests are) is used by Disney to steer guests to various attractions based on crowd levels and line lengths. It's inherent in such a situation that if they "know" based on your location that you can't make your appointment, they'd give up your spot to someone else.

 

[WillAustin]

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.

I think they are hoping the ease of "touch to pay" will lead a lot of people to spend more money when they theoretically have time out of lines. Maybe not you, but a lot of others.

 

[cigar95]

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.

The patent application is a good source for seeing the type of thing that the company envisions as *possible*. Part of the application is describing a concept in ways that make it broad, unique, and with many details that are worth protecting as an item of intellectual property. But it would be a big jump to presume that all the capabilities described in a patent application are part of the plan for what will actually be implemented.

this one in particular seems like an option that wouldn't be turned on until well after the system is in place and running smoothly.

 

[mom2rtk]

From what we see (at this point) there would be far fewer of the "interactive display kiosks" than there are FP attractions.

And don't forget that the people in line at these kiosks will be involved in decision making. Some for large groups. That was never the case at the old kiosks. "Take a ticket or don't" was the extent of it. Now they have to decide not only which ride, but what time.

Which is why Wi-Fi and cell phone reception will make or break this plan for most folks. Since that's the only way to avoid what could be some slow moving lines.

 

[larryz]

And don't forget that the people in line at these kiosks will be involved in decision making. Some for large groups. That was never the case at the old kiosks. "Take a ticket or don't" was the extent of it. Now they have to decide not only which ride, but what time.

Which is why Wi-Fi and cell phone reception will make or break this plan for most folks. Since that's the only way to avoid what could be some slow moving lines.

Of course, any CM with a PADD could walk down the line (think drive thru at Chick-Fil-A) and help out the line if it gets too long.

 

[Phil Dunphy]

And don't forget that the people in line at these kiosks will be involved in decision making. Some for large groups. That was never the case at the old kiosks. "Take a ticket or don't" was the extent of it. Now they have to decide not only which ride, but what time.

Which is why Wi-Fi and cell phone reception will make or break this plan for most folks. Since that's the only way to avoid what could be some slow moving lines.

And these are the same people who don't understand there are two lanes at every counter service cashier.

 

[d1gitman]

From what we see (at this point) there would be far fewer of the "interactive display kiosks" than there are FP attractions.

The "touch-point Mickey head" posts/kiosks are just that.
They don't have the ability to display info.

This low number of FP-check kiosks are why we are discussing long lines.

Could they install more?
Sure.
But, that's one of the reasons (again) why we see inadequacy in the currently-installed hardware.

hopefully upon rollout, they ramp up the number of installed interactive kiosks...because, otherwise, i do agree, it could be a nightmare. the way i see it, they will need kiosks everywhere, in abundance...kind of like the "Homer-Mobile"..."i want a horn here, here, here, here and here"

just imagine the threads on Brazillian tour groups at kiosks...yikes
or strollers and ECV's in kiosk lines
or holding a place in the kiosk line for others in your party

oh, the new thread material will be endless

 

[Robo]

hopefully upon rollout, they ramp up the number of installed interactive kiosks...because, otherwise, i do agree, it could be a nightmare.

Yes.

My point is that we are discussing what we see.
There are many of us who have been keeping track of what they've said, and what they've installed.
(Some CM's at the parks have been keeping many of us in the loop, but have not wanted to post in the open.)

Of course, they could do all kinds of things.
But, what we have seen has led us to doubt Disney's ANTICIPATION of PROBLEMS. The problems that we here have been seeing on the horizon (based on how guests use current protocols) and have been discussing for months.

The "unwarranted panic" attributed by some posters to questions of "what-if's" on these threads is annoying.
Kind of like a teacher showing up at a playground scuffle and saying that both sides should just stop speaking, shake hands, and walk away... without the slightest regard as to the REASON for the scuffle, and who caused it.
Future discussions are out of line, so just be quiet about it and be done with it.

Not exactly an equitable a demand.

 

[bauer1168]

Of course, any CM with a PADD could walk down the line (think drive thru at Chick-Fil-A) and help out the line if it gets too long.

Has that been mentioned before? Sounds like a good plan having a cm with a tablet going down the line possibly checking/changing times/rides for people

 

[Robo]

Has that been mentioned before? Sounds like a good plan having a cm with a tablet going down the line possibly checking/changing times/rides for people

Not fitting into Disney's recent modus operandi to them to ADD "extra" CM's at the parks.
Quite the opposite, considering their increased spending on guest-connected computer-interactive technology.

 

[bauer1168]

And don't forget that the people in line at these kiosks will be involved in decision making. Some for large groups. That was never the case at the old kiosks. "Take a ticket or don't" was the extent of it. Now they have to decide not only which ride, but what time.

And good luck if you're stuck behind a tour group leader with all the bands/RFID cards in their possession changing times for everyone in the group.

 

[bauer1168]

Not fitting into Disney's recent modus operandi to them to ADD "extra" CM's at the parks.
Quite the opposite, considering their increased spending on guest-connected computer-interactive technology.

Very true. Only a matter of time until Skynet is installed

 

[Robo]

And good luck if you're stuck behind a tour group leader with all the bands/RFID cards in their possession changing times for everyone in the group.

Well, THAT might be addressed if a tour group was all registered as "one large group" with MDE.

Of course, doing that can generate it's own set of different FP+ problems for others in the same park on the same day.

 

[g-dad66]

And these are the same people who don't understand there are two lanes at every counter service cashier.

Or they could be the people who were in front of us at the Be Our Guest restaurant kiosks, trying unendlessly to figure out (a) what they wanted to order, and (b) how to do it.

 

[larryz]

Very true. Only a matter of time until Skynet is installed

"They" heard that... turn yourself in.

 

[rastuso]

Unless they are going to have literally hundreds of kiosks in each park, to say those are a legitimate option for us to use is positively daffy.

6 FP machines, where you do nothing but insert a card, can get a short line. Imagine if you have to make all sorts of decisions at that kiosk instead. See what's available, ask your kids what they want. Then thinking about if you have an ADR, when you'll be hungry, when the fireworks are, etc.

The average kiosk time per user will go from 10 seconds to many minutes. Many particularly slow people could spend ten minutes at a kiosk. Plus there are only about a forth the kiosk stations as there are kiosks stations. Literally, if these kiosk stations don't have at least a hundred each, it's going to be chaos. Has anyone seen these being built yet?

Jason

 

[d1gitman]

...My point is that we are discussing what we see. There are many of us who have been keeping track of what they've said, and what they've installed.
(Some CM's at the parks have been keeping many of us in the loop, but have not wanted to post in the open.) I would venture to say we have only been told of and seen a snippet of what the rollout will be, so it is really hard to say that what we see is indicative of what is to come
Of course, they could do all kinds of things.
But, what we have seen has led us to doubt Disney's ANTICIPATION of PROBLEMS. The problems that we here have been seeing on the horizon (based on how guests use current protocols) and have been discussing for months. My opinion is that the potential problems being discussed on the DIS are not so unique and genius in nature that people working on this system at Disney have not been able to think of the same problems and how to address them. I am willing to continue do drink from the kool-aid fountain that Disney will get it right. It may take some tweaking, but that the FP+ will be good
The "unwarranted panic" attributed by some posters to questions of "what-if's" on these threads is annoying. I see no need for people to panic. At worst, the system is dumbed down to be nothing more than an RFID delivery system of hte same FP parameters we have grown to love....

The biggest problem i see in trying to figure out hte intricacies of the FP+ system is we don't have the hard number data on guests levels, FP's, crowd trends...Disney does. the FP system and the FP+ system are nothing more than mathematics. If Einstein was able to come up with the theory of relativity and man has been on the moon, then i think it's safe to say there are people outside of the DIS, who work at Disney who are smart enough to utilize the data that exists and calculate what is feasible.