FP+ is Live! Magic Bands in the park!

[agavegirl1]

Wow Rileygirl. Now I really am

 

[Rileygirl]

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[Planogirl]

When you think about 80% of those people checking off the little boxes you have to assume that none of them will just toss all of those papers to the side and none of them will book offsite (or even room only onsite) and just show up. How many casual visitors plan now and how many will once FP+ is implemented?

Also the Utopian concept of good IT is something I'm having trouble seeing.

 

[WillAustin]

Wow Rileygirl. Now I really am

Me too. Very nice posts, and very well thought out.

 

[bcrook]

When you think about 80% of those people checking off the little boxes you have to assume that none of them will just toss all of those papers to the side and none of them will book offsite (or even room only onsite) and just show up. How many casual visitors plan now and how many will once FP+ is implemented?

Also the Utopian concept of good IT is something I'm having trouble seeing.

You are not the person to start the new thread!

 

[Squidgyness]

I'm a natural cynic (you may ask why I even go to disney, but that's for another thread.)

I just see all that magic happening, with the personalised stuff (that I personally wouldn't have cared about even as a first time guest, but I digress) and that small novelty and goodwill vanishing if it affects standby or other aspects of service.

They get to the parks, use their pre planned fastpass and then decide to go one of the mountains for example while they wait for their second fastpass to come up, not knowing that it is among the most hilariously booked out fastpass (by vets) since they took up disneys offer of a fastpass for stitch that morning instead. "1hour 45 minutes? That can't be right, we only waited 10 minutes in that fastpass line earlier and standby was only 15 minutes there anyway, surely the standby line for this can't be that long." But uh oh, they have had sold out all the fastpasses and they had a sudden rush as a tour group with 100 fastpasses turned up at once along with a number of other guests.

1hour 30 minutes into the standby line, your wife wants to kill tiny tim because he just won't shut up, you feel a migraine coming on, and the line is moving slower than molasses whilst hundreds of pre booked fastpass users get on the ride to every hundred or so standby. Things are looking bleak.

After finally getting to ride, you come off hot, grouchy, and annoyed. Memories of that five or ten minute wait earlier that morning are fading fast.

No problem you say, let's get something to eat and chill out. Since when you were booking fastpasses disney didn't have any available for popular places like le cellier because you didn't want to book six months in advance, it was too complicated for you, or you just didn't really notice, you look for counter service places. Even if you couldn't get a fastpass for them as all the decent timeslots were snapped up within 30 minutes of them becoming available two months ago while you we're sleeping, you decide to just turn up, after all it is counter service. That sounds informal, like a fast food place. Surely fastpasses won't be needed there to get served in a reasonable time.

Well, after you show up at the end of that loooong line of people waiting to order, as fastpass guests once again walk straight past and even get their food well before you are in sight of the counter, your anger rises. You decide to send your wife to ask if you can get a table to eat at when you finally order. Sorry sir, replies the CM, we only have half our tables for non fastpass users, and they are all full right now because of the lunch rush. You'll have to wait till those in standby ahead of you waiting to order get a table. Or you can try again later...

You grit your teeth and decide you have to go since that second fastpass time is coming up in half an hour, too short a time for this line, and this time its for another of the mountains, something you were very happy to get. However, since this is still a heavily fastpassed ride, and it has been over subscribed, a backlog has built up and the wait time for that fastpass line alone is 25 minutes, even with skewed ratios of fastpass to standby guests riding it.

You grumble under your breath, but decide to ride anyway. You only wait 20 minutes, fantastic! You think... Then you get off and your daughter says "daddy, that was fantastic! I want to ride it again!" You turn your eyes to that standby time... It has grown considerably, especially since you first saw it that morning, as few standby guests are being let through it seems to your eyes.

With a heavy heart, you tell your daughter that no, you can't ride it again since you have another fastpass coming up in a couple of hours, over the other side of the park, and you can't afford to wait here in standby. She doesn't understand. She gets upset. You, tired and cranky from those standby lines, break down and start yelling.

That's it, time to go back to the resort and get some time in the pool. You arrive back at the resort, and make your way to the pool, glad to lie down on a lounger and let the kids unwind, and give yourself a break. You've completely forgotten about that third fastpass, if anything you are angry you couldn't do half the things you wanted because other fastpass users were so numerous they made standby grow longer and longer as larger amounts of fastpass users were let through. You forgot you had to ride standby when you didn't have a fastpass... Who knew all those 12-1pm fastpass slot reservations would turn up at the start of that hour and not the end? Disney sure didn't, that's for certain.

You thought disney was helping you get ahead, and forget about stressing over getting one of these precious reserved spots. But you realise, those other people also reserved spots, and when you didn't have one, they did. So much for getting more done you think. This will be the last time you go back, universal gives unlimited front of the line access to its parks if you stay onsite, or so that guy at work said. Even if you can't stay onsite, he never mentioned having to book the fast food places in advance, and there won't be as many people using that front of the line stuff, they only have a couple of hotels... Next year you'll try that instead.

A very worst case scenario I admit, but if something goes wrong or this doesn't work as well at crowd control, they give away the wrong amount of fastpasses etc, this could still happen as often as it does now.

My battery is 1%. So g'night till tomorrow!

 

[strawberrylilacs]

We hope at our house that Rileygirl isn't done for the night because we hate going to bed with only half a great, fun story read. (As my granddaughter said, hopefully,"She could still be typing.")



LOL my granddaughter just said "I told you she was still typing!" LOL thanks for the posts!

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

When you think about 80% of those people checking off the little boxes you have to assume that none of them will just toss all of those papers to the side and none of them will book offsite (or even room only onsite) and just show up. How many casual visitors plan now and how many will once FP+ is implemented?

Also the Utopian concept of good IT is something I'm having trouble seeing.

This! I've mentioned before that I own a dance studio. Several times a year very important notes are sent home with students and many of these parents will be email the same info. So many of them will come in and ask questions about info that was just sent home the week before or miss order dates for items and I will have to call them to remind them. Rileygirl's post sounds like a terific and if it worked like that for everyone, then the word of mouth would be a great thing for Disney. But she has more faith in people than I do! I work with the public and I know how hard it is to get those people to do the simple things they should do. Also, the off site guest will miss many of these cool experiences. Still need something to draw those guest in Rileygirl! You haven't done anything else today so get right on it!

 

[Rileygirl]

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[Rileygirl]

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[bcrook]

I hope there is going to be a DHS installment. The photo pass aspect and face recognition and the automatically tied to the ride photos could be a big deal. A little creepy, but probably not.

I also hope at some point you can weave in the use of a CS FP+, I am having a terrible time imagining that.

Thanks for the story.

 

[DougEMG]

A year ago we did a split stay between Universal and WDW because my daughter (she's 18 now) had wanted to see HP. She ended up buying, a cloak, wand, scarf, tie, map, jewelry, pins, amulets, chocolate frog, plus other stuff I can't even remember. Anyway she spent a ton of money on stuff, not really sure how FP+ is going to get her to spend money.

She's already requested that we go to Universal in 2014 once the new HP is open, while she could care less about FP+. Now she's been going to Disney annually since she was 4 and loves everything Disney, but I'm pretty sure she would gladly give up 4-5 days at Disney for 4-5 days at Universal.

I guess in 2-3 years we'll see who was right, Universal with top rated attractions or Disney with FP+ and rubber wrist bands. I hope it is Disney otherwise I'll be renting out all my DVC points and staying at a Universal resort.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Rileygirl, I am really loving your little story! We have all met that family - the ones who tell you they don't ever want to go back to Disney, because all they did was stand in line.

But darn it - I opened my eyes and read:

When you think about 80% of those people checking off the little boxes you have to assume that none of them will just toss all of those papers to the side and none of them will book offsite (or even room only onsite) and just show up. How many casual visitors plan now and how many will once FP+ is implemented?

Also the Utopian concept of good IT is something I'm having trouble seeing.

The cruise analogy reminds me of a Dr I worked for who took his family on a DCL vacation and came back bummed because everything they wanted to do was already booked in advance, and they didn't know you had to sign up for activities as soon as you got onboard - he had no idea about planning on the website at all!

My second thought is that if they are so worried about these 80% not wanting to come back, why are the parks so crowded

Okay, now back to our story :

 

[4under4]

Rileygirl, as I was reading your posts, I just kept hearing the sing-song voices from Madmen as they were pitched an idea to a client. (and now that theme music is floating through my head).

You have got TALENT! I had sworn off this thread last night because I was getting too stressed. Now I'm glad I don't have any willpower.

Can't wait for the next installment

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I'm thinking Rileygirl was in the group that sold this idea to those that wrote the checks. Sounds wonderful but I'm just not sold that EVERYONE can have this experience. But I have enjoyed the story!

 

[Planogirl]

A year ago we did a split stay between Universal and WDW because my daughter (she's 18 now) had wanted to see HP. She ended up buying, a cloak, wand, scarf, tie, map, jewelry, pins, amulets, chocolate frog, plus other stuff I can't even remember. Anyway she spent a ton of money on stuff, not really sure how FP+ is going to get her to spend money.

She's already requested that we go to Universal in 2014 once the new HP is open, while she could care less about FP+. Now she's been going to Disney annually since she was 4 and loves everything Disney, but I'm pretty sure she would gladly give up 4-5 days at Disney for 4-5 days at Universal.

I guess in 2-3 years we'll see who was right, Universal with top rated attractions or Disney with FP+ and rubber wrist bands. I hope it is Disney otherwise I'll be renting out all my DVC points and staying at a Universal resort.

Do both. That's the only solution that worked for us. It's only money after all.

I'm thinking Rileygirl was in the group that sold this idea to those that wrote the checks. Sounds wonderful but I'm just not sold that EVERYONE can have this experience. But I have enjoyed the story!

Who is this Rileygirl anyway? Hmmmm.....

 

[jdonat]

Way back in 2004-2005 we spent NYE at the resort. We got in on the 28th, checked into the BWV and headed for the International Gateway to get our AP vouchers redeemed before we got into the park. So, we get to the head of the line and explain what we want to do... The CM behind the window explains that the new system for admissions is down -they can't even issue us AP's! So, we get from the CM 1 day park hoppers, and they let us know that we may be able to get our AP's from the main Guest Relations area in Future World. What happened, is, if you remember from 2004-previous, AP holders were the only ones that needed to 'check in' with biometric access. This was the 3 finger biometrics -thumb, index and middle finger on a panel. WDW was from 2005 on were going to use the index finger biometric to identify guests entering the park. So, the single finger panels were on the turnstiles, but not working. Neither was most of WDW's ticket/admission system, including ALL Fastpasses in ALL 4 PARKS. One of the people that we were traveling with, along with myself are IT professionals -he works for one of the largest consulting groups in the world... and I was working for the company that 'put the dot in dot com'.. We asked WHY they were doing a cold cutover during the week between Christmas and New Years -remember, this is the absolute BUSIEST BUSIEST time of the year... The answer was that they wanted to have it running before the WDW Marathon. So, we have a nice evening at Epcot, and head over to the Guest Services area in FW. Guest Services is a nuthouse. There were a LOT of very senior WDW execs running Guest Services that night. We got done, got our AP's and asked one of the senior folks exactly who decided to do a cold cutover on the 28th of December. He commented that he wasn't sure, but there was a BIG meeting scheduled the next day at 0700 with lots of folks involved. The next day appeared to be OK -passes worked, and FP worked fine. A cold cutover BTW, means going from system A to B with NO way to go back to system A if system B doesn't work. A previous poster showed the way this 'should' be put on line -my worry is that history will repeat itself. Some WDW exec is going to do the 'it HAS to be up by XXX, no excuses, no reasons that it can't be running by when I want it up... And then FP+, with whatever bells and whistles are there, is fired up and, then chaos. And, I can see some of the chaos... (wi-fi issues, website issues, not enough kiosks, etc, etc.).

Look, it could go well, but given the 2004-2005 debacle, I'm a bit concerned.

 

[littleacceb]

Rileygirl, if you don't blog, then please start, and if you do, please provide a link.

Thanks

 

[Rileygirl]

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[Squidgyness]

Also, the adventures of Squidgy, and his son Lenny invade from England, staying off site at the Pessimistic hotel and suites, just 5 minutes down the road on International Drive......

Oh yay! That's on cynical avenue, just past the doom and gloom resort if I remember correctly.

This is very interesting. It's certainly making me think... even if I still think someone is going to end up getting screwed over by this. Do continue!

One thing I will say is this: Why didn't they introduce all this personalisation stuff with the magic band, update the same day first come first served fastpass system to RFID tickets (or the band) and use kiosks in place of current FP machines. Risk free, and they get the new tech in the parks.

Imagine the current fastpass system, but instead of traipsing over to the specific ride you wanted to get a paper FP, you could wave your magic band in front of the nearest kiosk.

A screen would then pop up: SELECT RIDE *tap screen* SELECT TIMES *tap one available* CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE BOOKED A FASTPASS FOR SPLASH MOUNTAIN AT 11:30. YOUR NEXT FASTPASS SLOT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE AT 13:30. WOULD YOU LIKE A PRINTOUT? *tap yes* HAVE A MAGICAL DAY!

Given that you would have to wait an hour after your current fastpass window ends and you can't book another one till then, wouldn't most early risers book the earlier slots first, hopefully leaving people who come into the park at 10 or 11 with a chance of getting one of the later slots? Or is that not true, and the problem with fastpass now?

But I still can't see how FP+ fixes this, given that most of these late risers wouldn't be online at 9am sharp 60 days out like a hawk, booking their slots in advance. I don't think it's part of their mindset tbh. The disney vets will grumble all right, but they'll still get up early and wait for that window to be open with a concrete plan of what they want because they have to ride those headliners. Mr Newby is just going to log in when he can (what if the 60 day window opens on a week day? I doubt that newby will even be thinking about Disney till he gets home. Disney vet on the other hand... BAM! Booked up in a swift flurry of prime rides and times.)

My point is that the newby is always going to be at a disadvantage, because whatever system Disney puts in place the vets will game to their advantage. This new prebooking system will make vets feel they have to book in advance and pick the best rides (whilst annoying the hell out of them because they can't fastpass splash mountain more than once), and mr newby is going to be even more screwed than he is now with fastpasses, having taken the scraps that Disney offers him when he prebooked his FP's. He can't even fluke a decent fastpass on the day now.

Unless Disney just count on fooling these newbies that it was worse back in the day and they have it sweet now. In which case that might work, but it won't fly with repeat customers. I'm not sure I like the ulterior motives here. Disney is usually a lot better with balancing their true motives with ones that are aimed to benefit the guest. I think they are going to get a lot more out of this than the guest than usual.