FP+ Details Are Out!

[disneyholic family]

so..

i've had the app on my iphone since it first came out..
but i never look at it..

then yesterday, out of curiosity, i decided to see if my upcoming reservations appear there.

so i went into the app.
and whadya know....there were our reservations (several different ones - multiple rooms, multiple arrival dates due to a cruise in the middle)..

so i kept exploring and noticed the magic bands section...

click...

oh gee...."you have 8 days to customize your magic bands before they're shipped"...

shipped?

to where?

oh great....to my billing address, which isn't where i live by a long shot...in a completely different part of the world - where i'm definitely not going to be before i go to WDW..

say what???

why didn't they notify me by email that i was about to be the lucky recipient of magic bands??

i called them up to give them a piece of my mind..

you don't notify me by email? email is the generally accepted mode of communication in the modern era...
you could call - but you didn't do that either..

what is wrong with you?????????????

so hopefully the nice woman at the other end of the phone managed to stop the shipment into the black hole of the post office...
and hopefully, they will be waiting for me at my resort..

but do they really think i'm going to link my tickets to this rather questionably run system??????

 

[bcrook]

AHahaha.
I should admit that I HAVE read every response (over the weeks; not in one sitting). I'm very concerned about FP+ and if we should continue to plan on visiting WDW next year.

First of all it will make a difference at what time you go. If off peak, I can't imagine it matters much.

If you go during peak time, this will be substantially different.

There are some advantages to the system even during peak time: you won't have to run all over the park collecting FP.

Also if you don't like to ride the headliners and you go for the meet and greets, themed restaurants, shows, and parades this system will be incredible.

If you have small children and only spend partial days in the parks, this system will benefit you.

If you are spending more than a week at WDW, and are visiting each park multiple times, FP+ could be very useful.

The drawbacks are substantial too, but everyone has listed them. I dislike everything about the new system. But, I am going to food and wine in October with 10 other people. We probably won't use any fastpasses on that trip outside of one for dinosaur to get a group photo. So it won't effect this trip at all. Now bringing 14 family members during fourth of July week with 6 teenagers??? I think the other options in Orlando and Tampa look far more appealing now.

 

[Simba77]

Now bringing 14 family members during fourth of July week with 6 teenagers??? I think the other options in Orlando and Tampa look far more appealing now.

You think those "other" parks are going to be more appealing with 14 family members on the 4th of July? Universal doesn't have unlimited free fastpass (or even free fastpasss at all), so I'm not sure how that would be any better.

 

[disneyholic family]

First of all it will make a difference at what time you go. If off peak, I can't imagine it matters much.

If you go during peak time, this will be substantially different.

There are some advantages to the system even during peak time: you won't have to run all over the park collecting FP.

Also if you don't like to ride the headliners and you go for the meet and greets, themed restaurants, shows, and parades this system will be incredible.

If you have small children and only spend partial days in the parks, this system will benefit you.

If you are spending more than a week at WDW, and are visiting each park multiple times, FP+ could be very useful.

The drawbacks are substantial too, but everyone has listed them. I dislike everything about the new system. But, I am going to food and wine in October with 10 other people. We probably won't use any fastpasses on that trip outside of one for dinosaur to get a group photo. So it won't effect this trip at all. Now bringing 14 family members during fourth of July week with 6 teenagers??? I think the other options in Orlando and Tampa look far more appealing now.

which shows? parades?
where are the reserved areas in the shows/parades..

 

[bcrook]

You think those "other" parks are going to be more appealing with 14 family members on the 4th of July? Universal doesn't have unlimited free fastpass (or even free fastpasss at all), so I'm not sure how that would be any better.

Sorry, I should have deleted that, I don't want to start that whole debate. My point was simply the new system loses its appeal in peak times for my family and teenagers. The other Orlando parks have many more attractions and are much cheaper. But that is a different thread.

 

[bcrook]

which shows? parades?
where are the reserved areas in the shows/parades..

Nobody knows where the preferred viewing will be for parades, fireworks, or shows when 125,000 people a day are booking FP. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

But every parade and all three fireworks shows are being discussed as fastpassable. Along with festival of lion king and nemo at DAK, lights motors action and Indy Stunt Show. I guess american idol too? I have no idea about beauty and the beast.

 

[disneyholic family]

Nobody knows where the preferred viewing will be for parades, fireworks, or shows when 125,000 people a day are booking FP. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

But every parade and all three fireworks shows are being discussed as fastpassable. Along with festival of lion king and nemo at DAK, lights motors action and Indy Stunt Show. I guess american idol too? I have no idea about beauty and the beast.

the ONLY reason i might want to use the system is for the shows...
we've been known to go into the parks just to see a show and leave..
we used to do that at MGM- go into the park to see hunchback a few times and then leave...
i'd do it with Nemo and lion king as well...

but i'm so afraid of linking our ticket vouchers to my magic bands that i won't do it....
we're only going to be there for 4 days - i don't to spend half of them tied up with their glitching computer system...

 

[KELLY]

Nobody knows where the preferred viewing will be for parades, fireworks, or shows when 125,000 people a day are booking FP. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

But every parade and all three fireworks shows are being discussed as fastpassable. Along with festival of lion king and nemo at DAK, lights motors action and Indy Stunt Show. I guess american idol too? I have no idea about beauty and the beast.

I can tell you lion king and nemo were a option. MSEP was a option for my parents going the week before me. But not available for me.

 

[ready4mouse]

I am also in the "test group" for those staying at Yacht Club in August... would have had no idea unless I had seen these boards that told me to check. However, despite the warnings, I am fairly confident that this is "real"

On to my initial thoughts:

HIGH-Upon logging in to MDE and seeing that I was able to choose FP+ I was elated!

HIGH-Looking at all the cool choices...still pretty happy

LOWER-Then....started to feel overwhelmed.

REALLY LOW-After years of planning WDW and considering myself a "touring expert" of sorts, I suddenly found myself frozen... there were too many choices! Plus, suddenly faced with all these rides that never had FP before left me second guessing every decision... should I get a FP for this or that or that or this...AHHHHHH!!!!!

HIGHER- Then I took a deep breath and realized this was a tool, not a weapon of pain...so I started to think about 3 things I really wanted to do each day. I put those in the late morning/early afternoon as often as I could so that I could use ropedrop to ride other rides I didn't FP. OK, that's right...this is how it's done.

VERY HIGH- Back to high this morning when I logged on and saw my FP reservations there. It was somewhat comforting seeing a FP for Soarin' at 10am waiting for me. Now I know that I can go to Test Track first thing with my family and I don't need to panic about sending a "Fast Pass runner" off to get FP's for Soarin while we wait anxiously for them to return and get irritated that the TT line is building. No worries...it's already done. We also have a set of TT passes for that night (which my kids always wanted to do) so we don't need to hang around/watch the FP return times to get those- they are already waiting for us.

My conclusion...more good than not for sure. Initially overwhelming, but I think that in the end, our vacation will be more relaxed because of it... I'm going to stick with so far. Will let you know more when we return!

 

[mistysue]

From my poking around yesterday, there were definitely options available some days but not others. I booked a bunch of FP+ yesterday morning, decided in the evening maybe I should switch one or two of them to fireworks shows and there was nothing available for Wishes or Illuminations for any of the 10 nights of my trip. I checked... so they definitely have limited the number of those spots and it must be a small limit because I would say that MOST of the people with the capability to get into the system likely still don't know it.

Somewhere yesterday I saw somebody posted a list of the FP+ they reserved and it said "Wishes (rose garden viewing)" So my guess would be the "best" up front spots will go "poof" for the rest of us. We watch in the back to get out faster anyways so I'm not sure it matters to me.

They definitely were making it easy to get onto the rides everybody wants. Unfortunately those are not what my family goes for. I couldn't get WtP on the second half of our trip? But all 3 mountains in a day was easy.

 

[KELLY]

I went in this morning and there was more options. I was able to get fantasmic.

 

[Arsenal1982]

From my poking around yesterday, there were definitely options available some days but not others. I booked a bunch of FP+ yesterday morning, decided in the evening maybe I should switch one or two of them to fireworks shows and there was nothing available for Wishes or Illuminations for any of the 10 nights of my trip. I checked... so they definitely have limited the number of those spots and it must be a small limit because I would say that MOST of the people with the capability to get into the system likely still don't know it.

Somewhere yesterday I saw somebody posted a list of the FP+ they reserved and it said "Wishes (rose garden viewing)" So my guess would be the "best" up front spots will go "poof" for the rest of us. We watch in the back to get out faster anyways so I'm not sure it matters to me.

They definitely were making it easy to get onto the rides everybody wants. Unfortunately those are not what my family goes for. I couldn't get WtP on the second half of our trip? But all 3 mountains in a day was easy.

Call me crazy but I think firework reservations will end up being the most popular. 1) They are suitable for everyone and 2) They are the easiest to plan for.

 

[bcrook]

Call me crazy but I think firework reservations will end up being the most popular. 1) They are suitable for everyone and 2) They are the easiest to plan for.

I am not being sarcastic at all, but I think that is exactly what Disney is hoping for.

 

[mom2rtk]

Call me crazy but I think firework reservations will end up being the most popular. 1) They are suitable for everyone and 2) They are the easiest to plan for.

I think Disney felt the same way. But word is that they were disappointed in the last round of testing with how this and parade viewing were chosen.

And NOBODY knows yet how these items will go over when people have to choose them without FP- available to them. Yes, they are appealing, but how appealing are they when you really only have 3 choices for the day?

I can see these options being popular with people with young children who don't do the Mountains. But not for folks planning to do the headliners.

 

[rastuso]

They definitely were making it easy to get onto the rides everybody wants. Unfortunately those are not what my family goes for. I couldn't get WtP on the second half of our trip? But all 3 mountains in a day was easy.

You realize you are in a VERY small group, with exclusive access to those rides at this point, and your experience will in no way be representative of WDW after FP+ is rolled out, correct?

Jason

 

[patrickpiteo]

You think those "other" parks are going to be more appealing with 14 family members on the 4th of July? Universal doesn't have unlimited free fastpass (or even free fastpasss at all), so I'm not sure how that would be any better.

Stay on site at universal and you do get free express passes for all your guests.

 

[delmar411]

I hope all the people making 'unauthorized' FP+ reservations know that the last time they pushed the site live for testing purposes none of the unauthorized reservations were honored and it was a giant mess. This has happened a few times. People randomly playing around on the site have discovered live FP+ and booked them shown up and were turned away. Who knows what will happen this time but it was a big problem previously.

 

[WillAustin]

I hope all the people making 'unauthorized' FP+ reservations know that the last time they pushed the site live for testing purposes none of the unauthorized reservations were honored and it was a giant mess. This has happened a few times. People randomly playing around on the site have discovered live FP+ and booked them shown up and were turned away. Who knows what will happen this time but it was a big problem previously.

There is another thread where someone confirmed with IT that they are getting the bands and reservations without receiving a notification email.

I'd imagine if the bands actually ship, then it's probably real.

 

[doconeill]

I hope all the people making 'unauthorized' FP+ reservations know that the last time they pushed the site live for testing purposes none of the unauthorized reservations were honored and it was a giant mess. This has happened a few times. People randomly playing around on the site have discovered live FP+ and booked them shown up and were turned away. Who knows what will happen this time but it was a big problem previously.

FP+ wasn't active in the parks at that time, so there was no choice but to turn them away...

 

[delmar411]

FP+ wasn't active in the parks at that time, so there was no choice but to turn them away...

Yes it was active. They were doing guest testing. But as a tester we've also been told to only book from a select list of attractions even though there is a longer list of attractions to choose from which indicates that they aren't turning on the FP+ at all sites ATM., just the ones they want to test at.