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

[Dizneefamily+4]

nope. Yes, in your hand-picked case of late afternoon (and i'll throw in a low-capacity attraction such as pan for good measure) it would be impossible for legacy fp.

But there are plenty of combinations of time-of-day and attraction where legacy fp (any attraction early in the day, or many attractions midway or even later in the day) where you could get a repeat fp ride on your child's favorite 'o the day.

With fp+, you simply cannot. End of story, come back tomorrow. plenty of families, including mine, miss that kind of flexibility. If yours didn't do repeats, great. But mine did.

+1.

 

[jj1403]

I`m guessing it also helped to have another adult who`s fastpasses you could use.

I`m not anti fastpass+ but it`s definitely limiting I thinking being able to pull a few extra would help tremendously.

 

[shalom]

I think morethananyonex is right that it's touring style, not family make up. Even as toddlers, my kids knew that "again?" would be met with "maybe later." Toddlers toured with whoever was in charge of them at that point and did what had been planned -- their vote was taken into account, sure, but whether it would happen would depend on other things. Still true as they got older. We also have no problem breaking up into smaller groups for various parts of the day.

I really believe it exists to help families with little kids. Families with young kids are the winners, everyone else are the losers.

I would say the losers are those who really worked the FP- system for rides, whatever their age or family configuration. We'll see how it works out, but I can see where FP+ could benefit us, because I don't wait in long rides so EtwB was completely off my list last time, even though it's something I really wanted to do -- with FP+, I would have gotten to see it. For my family, I don't think it'll be a win or a loss, just a change.

I think my family is the type Disney wants to cater to. That's their "money demo". We did 3 character meals in July and again last week. How many character meals does a family with teenagers do? How many stuffed animals or balloons does a family with teenagers buy? Couples, families with teenagers, they are just there to ride the rides over and over.

I disagree with your family breakdown here. My family is mostly teenagers, and we're definitely not there to "ride the rides over and over" -- some of my kids like the Sorcerer's game at the MK and the Agent P one at Epcot, some are nuts about the characters and liver performers, and none of them are much for most of the headliners or any of the thrill rides.

But I totally agree that Disney wants to cater to their "money demo." They want people who come to the parks and spend money, lots of money. The original FP was designed to get people out of the lines and into the restaurants and stores, not to get people more rides; FP+ is essentially a massive change to get it back in line with that original goal.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The original FP was designed to get people out of the lines and into the restaurants and stores, not to get people more rides; FP+ is essentially a massive change to get it back in line with that original goal.

I keep seeing this sentiment, and it's not that I disagree that that is Disney's goal...I completely agree that it is. I'm just not sure it's actually a realistic goal on their part.

In all seriousness - how much does a family's budget change based on how many rides they ride? Most families have a dining budget, a souvenir budget...does riding less rides truly make them spend more?

We schedule our dining beforehand...we know what meals will be CS, what will be TS, and what snacks we'll have in our hotel to bring with us. No amount of riding, or not riding, is going to change that. Again, if anything, it's more likely to make me spend less. If we feel like we're not going to get much done at some point, we'll leave the park..and there go the spontaneous churro sales/snack sales we would have otherwise made (and yes, we take our churros seriously! DH bought like 14 at once on one trip (6 adults, 2 children, 1 infant) and the CM at the cart was )

Same with souvenirs...our budget is what it is. Less ride time isn't going to make me spend more on souvenirs...if anything, it's likely to make me spend less (as I'll either be in long SB lines, or leaving the park earlier than I would have otherwise).

 

[JimmyV]

I keep seeing this sentiment, and it's not that I disagree that that is Disney's goal...I completely agree that it is. I'm just not sure it's actually a realistic goal on their part.

In all seriousness - how much does a family's budget change based on how many rides they ride? Most families have a dining budget, a souvenir budget...does riding less rides truly make them spend more?

We schedule our dining beforehand...we know what meals will be CS, what will be TS, and what snacks we'll have in our hotel to bring with us. No amount of riding, or not riding, is going to change that. Again, if anything, it's more likely to make me spend less. If we feel like we're not going to get much done at some point, we'll leave the park..and there go the spontaneous churro sales/snack sales we would have otherwise made (and yes, we take our churros seriously! DH bought like 14 at once on one trip (6 adults, 2 children, 1 infant) and the CM at the cart was )

Same with souvenirs...our budget is what it is. Less ride time isn't going to make me spend more on souvenirs...if anything, it's likely to make me spend less (as I'll either be in long SB lines, or leaving the park earlier than I would have otherwise).

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.

Oddly, the entire concept of the Dining Plan would seem to cut against impulse spending, at least as it pertains to dining. If they want people to buy more Mickey Bars and Dole Whips instead of repeating Space Mountain over and over again, then the first thing they need to do is jettison the DP. One of the principle reasons for its popularity is the "pre-paid convenience" of knowing what your dining budget is.

 

[DisneyFans222]

Having to split up to accomplish what you did does not scream success to me. IMO it really sucks that you have to split your family at MK if one child wants meet & greet and one wants rides and you want to FP them all. If it worked for you that's great, but one of the things that gets to me about FP+ is how it forces you to choose to either split up or someone can't FP a favourite.

Absolutely agree!

 

[PlayaMan]

I agree with this. I don't think we'll see prebooking for offsite either. For all of the reasons you mentioned but also because there is no financial reason for Disney to want to help support the massive offsite hotel industry in Orlando when 20% of their own rooms are empty on average.

I am sure this article on Disney from 1/27/14 was posted somewhere on this site but I wanted to point out what it says:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/dispatches/2014/01/27/disney-mymagic-vacation-planning/4582957/

You'll get three FastPass+ virtual reservations, each giving you an hour time frame in which to arrive. And if you want to switch up scheduled rides on the fly, there's an app for that. Gone will be the days of the FastPass dash, when you scurry to wait in line for paper tickets that give you line-skipping privileges.

Don't rush to the computer just yet, though. Currently, MyMagic+ is available only to guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and eight Disney Vacation Clubs, who receive complimentary Bands as part of their visit.

MyMagic+ will be available for everyone else "relatively soon," says Tom Staggs, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts. Once that happens, non-resort guests will get a MyMagic+ RF card as their ticket, which serves as a MagicBand but in card form.

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

 

[Sammie]

But 50% of the guests come in from off-site. I wouldn't want to risk coming in later in the day to feed off of the scraps of FP+ left at that time. So in this respect, FP+ is a non-starter for off-site guests who pop in to a park in the afternoon.

Not all Fastpass+ are booked in advance, some are held for day off.

I just went into the system and I can pull headliners at all parks including Toy Story, Everest, Soarin' and even Princess meets at the MK>

 

[ashleymrush]

I believe that their number one goal of making more money is keeping you on property. If you can only get FP+ while staying at a resort you will be on their property more and therefore giving them money more whether it is for food, entertainment, or souvenirs. Getting the extra money in those areas is a plus for them but they already got what they wanted by having you use their hotel rooms.

 

[JimmyV]

MyMagic+ will be available for everyone else "relatively soon," says Tom Staggs, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts. Once that happens, non-resort guests will get a MyMagic+ RF card as their ticket, which serves as a MagicBand but in card form.

But this does not say anything about pre-booking. It simply says that they will have access to a plastic card with a chip in it. If you are an off-site guest who buys their ticket at the gate on Day One of your trip, you won't have any ability to link your ticket or pre-book. Maybe pre-booking is in their plans. But this quote doesn't establish that (nor does it disprove that).

 

[PlayaMan]

But this does not say anything about pre-booking. It simply says that they will have access to a plastic card with a chip in it. If you are an off-site guest who buys their ticket at the gate on Day One of your trip, you won't have any ability to link your ticket or pre-book. Maybe pre-booking is in their plans. But this quote doesn't establish that (nor does it disprove that).

You are right, it doesnt specifically say that but if you read the context of the article and the previous paragraph, it lumps in My MyMagic+ in with being able to prebook.

Don't rush to the computer just yet, though. Currently, MyMagic+ is available only to guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and eight Disney Vacation Clubs, who receive complimentary Bands as part of their visit.

It also says that off-site guest will receive a MyMagic+ RF Card as their ticket.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out eventually with the offsite guests

 

[PlayaMan]

Forgot one thing. I wonder if offsite guests that buy their tickets before getting to WDW, will get a MM+ card as opposed another type of media thus enabling them to prebook FP+

 

[Angel Ariel]

I believe that their number one goal of making more money is keeping you on property. If you can only get FP+ while staying at a resort you will be on their property more and therefore giving them money more whether it is for food, entertainment, or souvenirs. Getting the extra money in those areas is a plus for them but they already got what they wanted by having you use their hotel rooms.

Fp+ is already available to offsite guests, the only difference is offsite only get same day access.

 

[shalom]

If you are an off-site guest who buys their ticket at the gate on Day One of your trip, you won't have any ability to link your ticket or pre-book. Maybe pre-booking is in their plans. But this quote doesn't establish that (nor does it disprove that).

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.

 

[g3pak]

We got to Epcot at 4:00 and my mom and I rode Test Track then my wife and I rode Soarin. Then we had our dinner at 5:30. Again, can you imagine arriving at Epcot at 4PM and then trying to do both TT and Soarin between 4 and 5:30PM? It would never have happened without FP+

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.

 

[ashleymrush]

Fp+ is already available to offsite guests, the only difference is offsite only get same day access.

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

 

[mom2rtk]

Again, can you imagine arriving at Epcot at 4PM and then trying to do both TT and Soarin between 4 and 5:30PM? It would never have happened without FP+

............nor will it happen for the vast majority of people WITH FP+.

 

[kellzkidz]

I am happy to read such a positive experience OP thanks for sharing and giving details on your strategies. I am really looking forward to our trip in April and trying out the FP+

 

[ArwenMarie]

I am sure this article on Disney from 1/27/14 was posted somewhere on this site but I wanted to point out what it says:

You'll get three FastPass+ virtual reservations, each giving you an hour time frame in which to arrive. And if you want to switch up scheduled rides on the fly, there's an app for that. Gone will be the days of the FastPass dash, when you scurry to wait in line for paper tickets that give you line-skipping privileges.

Don't rush to the computer just yet, though. Currently, MyMagic+ is available only to guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and eight Disney Vacation Clubs, who receive complimentary Bands as part of their visit.

MyMagic+ will be available for everyone else "relatively soon," says Tom Staggs, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts. Once that happens, non-resort guests will get a MyMagic+ RF card as their ticket, which serves as a MagicBand but in card form.

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

http://www.usatoday.com/story/dispatches/2014/01/27/disney-mymagic-vacation-planning/4582957/

Where does that say anything about offsite prebooking though?

 

[PlayaMan]

Where does that say anything about offsite prebooking though?

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.