FP+ is AWESOME! (...if you have little kids)

[ArwenMarie]

As I pointed out previously, it doesnt specifically say that but the context of the article points to that. On the other hand as well, it doesnt say offsite guest will not be able to prebook. But the article taken as a whole tends to point towards offsite guests being able to in the future. I know you see it differently because it doesnt support your predictions.

Time will tell, though.

I see it differently because I don't see where it says that offsite will be able to prebook. But also because of what I see Disney doing right now with same-day booking in the parks for offsite guests.

Sometimes I think there are different interpretations going on between what people hear and what Disney means. They can say everyone now has full access to FP+, if FP+ means electronic FPs. Doesn't mean prebooking.

 

[DVCcurious]

Perhaps I missed it, but can someone explain to me how the OP rode two of the "tier 1" rides with FP+? I saw a few references to rider swap, but I don't see how it helped the OP to ride both rides.

We had 4 tickets. So we got 2 Test Track FP+s and 2 Soarin FP+s. I used the TT with my mom and used the Soarin with my wife.

 

[DVCcurious]

I agree with you, but perhaps we aren't the norm. I am not an impulse buyer or a compulsive spender. If my headliner rides get cut back from 15 a day to 8 a day, it won't cause me to spend more money. I might spend more time at the pool. But I'm not going to buy a fake Pirate hook just because I'm bored.

You are missing the point. The point of FP is to get you out of line and in the mood to spend some $$. It appears you don't like what Disney is offering, but you do like the rides. What if an additional FP was offered with that fake pirate hook? Doesn't it look a little more enticing?

Disney should move away from FP+ entirely and make FPs a bonus when you buy something. The number of FPs you get could be related to the amount of money you spend. Buy a Dumbo doll? Get a FP for your family. Eat at CRT? Get 4 FP for your family. Buy a mickey ice cream bar? Get .5 of a FP.

 

[ArwenMarie]

You are missing the point. The point of FP is to get you out of line and in the mood to spend some $$. It appears you don't like what Disney is offering, but you do like the rides. What if an additional FP was offered with that fake pirate hook? Doesn't it look a little more enticing?

Disney should move away from FP+ entirely and make FPs a bonus when you buy something. The number of FPs you get could be related to the amount of money you spend. Buy a Dumbo doll? Get a FP for your family. Eat at CRT? Get 4 FP for your family. Buy a mickey ice cream bar? Get .5 of a FP.

They will. It will be related to hotel rooms IMO.

 

[shalom]

Sometimes I think there are different interpretations going on between what people hear and what Disney means. They can say everyone now has full access to FP+, if FP+ means electronic FPs. Doesn't mean prebooking.

I think once the summer crowds hit, running all the offsite guests to a kiosk for their FP+s would be a logistics nightmare and a publicity disaster. Allowing savvy offsite guests to dedicate tickets to particular dates and prebook would take at least some of that pressure off.

 

[g3pak]

We had 4 tickets. So we got 2 Test Track FP+s and 2 Soarin FP+s. I used the TT with my mom and used the Soarin with my wife.

So the fast passes aren't tied to each person? Does that mean that a family of 4 could get 12 total fast passes and one family member could use all 12?

 

[mesaboy2]

So the fast passes aren't tied to each person? Does that mean that a family of 4 could get 12 total fast passes and one family member could use all 12?

Sure, just be prepared to change out a lot of MagicBands.

Careful though, I think I saw the non-transferability police pass through here a little while ago. They have various disguised vehicles to help trap you.

 

[Angel Ariel]

You are correct. I meant pre-booking privileges. I wasn't specific enough. Oops.

It's all good...just wanted to make that clear for any first timers reading the thread

 

[Angel Ariel]

You are missing the point. The point of FP is to get you out of line and in the mood to spend some $$. It appears you don't like what Disney is offering, but you do like the rides.

I do like what Disney's offering. I like the dining, I like the souvenirs we get...but not being on rides isn't going to make me spend more money than I have budgeted.

 

[jeneric997]

When they become available at the park, MagicBands can still be purchased separately and will cost less than $15.

So if you are off property you will have to pay for the MB?

 

[mesaboy2]

So if you are off property you will have to pay for the MB?

That seems to be where WDW is going with this. You won't need the MB, but it will "enhance" your experience in various and so far vague ways.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Sure, just be prepared to change out a lot of MagicBands.

Careful though, I think I saw the non-transferability police pass through here a little while ago. They have various disguised vehicles to help trap you.

 

[wisblue]

My guess is that pre-booking without a ticket is not in their plans, but that off site guests who already have their tickets will eventually be able to prebook. And I think they'll keep back some FPs that will open up that morning.

Agree on all counts.

Encouraging all guests, including offsite guests, to buy their tickets in advance is consistent with Disney's goal of getting them to commit to spending as much of their vacation at Disney as possible.

The transition to allowing offsite guests to make advance FP+ reservations is already underway as annual passholders with no resort stay are starting to test. Disney has announced to all AP that they will be able to get MBs and make advance FP+ reservations sometime this year.

Once MBs and advance FP+ are available to all annual passholders, I think rolling it out to other offsite guests is next. Swan and Dolphin and SOG would be the logical first participants in this part of the transition.

 

[DVCcurious]

So the fast passes aren't tied to each person? Does that mean that a family of 4 could get 12 total fast passes and one family member could use all 12?

No and yes. The FP+s are tied to a specific person's magic band, but they don't check that the person who scans the magic band is the person who is assigned to that magic band. So you could have 4 magic bands and have one person use them all and that person would get 12 FP+ experiences.

We didn't really worry about who owned each MB, it just isn't relevant except when you are entering a park and the band has to match the fingerprint to enter. I brought a piece of paper with me each day that had the times and rides for each MB (we had 4 different colors) and I kept all the MBs and just gave them to the correct person at their appointed FP+ time. So I'd say "mom, it's time for you and DD to go to ETWB" and give them their MBs.

So if you are off property you will have to pay for the MB?

Look at it this way, the MB makes buying stuff in the parks way easier. So you can spend money to buy something that makes it easier to spend money! It's part of their buy-more, buy-more 2014 campaign!

 

[mom2rtk]

You have to admit though that it is the exception for a group to have members willing to give up their limited FPs so other members in their group can ride more.

OP, I'm glad you were able to make the most of what you had. But in a few years you'll be in the same boat as the rest of us with no wiggle room.

 

[jeneric997]

Agree on all counts.

Encouraging all guests, including offsite guests, to buy their tickets in advance is consistent with Disney's goal of getting them to commit to spending as much of their vacation at Disney as possible.

The transition to allowing offsite guests to make advance FP+ reservations is already underway as annual passholders with no resort stay are starting to test. Disney has announced to all AP that they will be able to get MBs and make advance FP+ reservations sometime this year.

Once MBs and advance FP+ are available to all annual passholders, I think rolling it out to other offsite guests is next. Swan and Dolphin and SOG would be the logical first participants in this part of the transition.

Offsite will be able to get advanced if they pay the extra fee for the MB. Part of me is glad Disney isn't going to keep giving them out for free, but if I was offsite I don't think I'd be thrilled about it.

Wonder if APs will have to pay as well. So now we see the first step of monetizing FP+.

 

[PlayaMan]

I see it differently because I don't see where it says that offsite will be able to prebook. But also because of what I see Disney doing right now with same-day booking in the parks for offsite guests.

Sometimes I think there are different interpretations going on between what people hear and what Disney means. They can say everyone now has full access to FP+, if FP+ means electronic FPs. Doesn't mean prebooking.

I know we are both reading this through our individual biases. However, if you read the article as a whole where it talks about prebooking FPs and MM+ and then it gets to the part about "not so fast" for the people offsite, the article reads as if offsite guests would be able to eventually and that is coming from Staggs

Though, I think we would both agree, it would be best if Disney was more specific about the eventual ability of prebooking and offsite guests.

I would think that there will always be some mechanism of same day bookings because not everyone will buy tickets prior to arriving to the parks.

time will tell