FP+ is Live! Magic Bands in the park!

[NYDisneyKid]

Lets go back to the good ole days,,,no FP's period

 

[bwang123]

All this will do is complicate peoples planning because at midnight all the TSM early fastpasses will be gone and then you will have to take a late time that may not be when you wanted to be in the park etc etc etc. The whole RFID system seems to actually take longer at the gates than the regular tickets did, although that could be just because it is new. I think Disney is headed in the wrong direction, people are going to be constantly staring at their smartphone during their trip which will take away the family atmosphere. Then after getting to the ride you want to do thanks to your smartphone you will stand in an interactive chaos, oh I mean que, where you can freak out as your kids run off and play and one parent has to track them down while the other stays in line wondering how you will find them as the line moves further and further away.

and with everyone looking down at their cell phones, the walkways will be in complete gridlock. if you are able to get to a ride, you will have no wait time because everyone is standing in the walkway. See, FP+ does work.

 

[HelenParr]

Depending on how the FP+ implementation actually goes, it might feel like no FPs in some situations.

I do not want to even imagine going back to 240 minutes for Splash Mountain in the heat of summer. Sometimes when I catch a glimpse of the stand by queue area (as a walk by in the FP line) I still shudder at the memory of it.

Going back to no FPs would be a mental challenge for me. I feel like my touring plan would consist of looking at, and not riding, the headline attractions, muttering "Look, there's Space Moutain. Remember when we used to actually ride Space Mountain?"

 

[MelanieRI]

Lets go back to the good ole days,,,no FP's period

I like to point out to DD as we walk fastly by the old lines for Splash Mountain, the many an hour spent in those lines when I was child. I like to tell her what it was like without FP and to count her blessings. However, I also tell tale of the days when you could..you know... feel like eating Italian and go up to Tony's and be able to get into eat without a ressies 180 days out. Times they are always a changing'. I guess we'll have to wait and see what this new FP+ brings about.

 

[brizzer79]

I agree!! LOL
And if they ever tie FP+ to a cc with a no show fee like a pp suggested - then it's 'peace out' for me.

I don't mean to single you out but it really cracks me up how many people are bashing this new program that we all really don't know much about. Disney is all about the experience and continuous improvement. They aren't going to launch something that is (pardon my French) half ***... Disney is the company that all others only aspire to living up to. Just relax and see what happens. Besides I have a hard time thinking that someone who loves Disney and everything about it so much that they subscribe to blogs about Disney and already has multiple Disney trips planned is just going to say "peace out" if they do something that you don't like. We don't know that it is going to be horrible... heck it could be cutting edge and change the way we see the park. I am sure they will hit bumps along the way but I also don't think they would invest millions in a program that works like crap and discourages new Disney fans from coming to the park. Hope you enjoy the trips you have planned and tell Mickey hi for me!

 

[HelenParr]

I don't mean to harsh anyone's buzz, but Disney has failed on things before, and been wrong about guest reaction before.

I hope FP+ is a huge success. But just because they spent millions on badly needed IT upgrades and implementing deferred IT fixes (much of which is not FP related) does not mean this will have a successful outcome.

No one thinks they are trying to screw up peoples' experience. (Okay, almost no one.) That doesn't mean they will get it right.

 

[brizzer79]

I don't mean to harsh anyone's buzz, but Disney has failed on things before, and been wrong about guest reaction before.

I hope FP+ is a huge success. But just because they spent millions on badly needed IT upgrades and implementing deferred IT fixes (much of which is not FP related) does not mean this will have a successful outcome.

No one thinks they are trying to screw up peoples' experience. (Okay, almost no one.) That doesn't mean they will get it right.

Agreed but we also don't know they will get it wrong.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Agreed but we also don't know they will get it wrong.

All in all, we really don't know much of anything about any of it

 

[heidica]

How they will restrict it so MYW ticket holders don't just arbitrarily pre book FP+ for every day and not show up remains to be seen.

I think that is "vaguely" address in the Terms and Conditions by this line:
"Availability of a FastPass+ experience, the number of experiences you may select and arrival windows are limited and vary based on factors such as the theme park you are visiting, the attraction or entertainment experience, the time of year and the day of the week, and prior demand. In addition, the number of DAYS for which you can hold FastPass+ selections at any give time is limited."

I suspect once you link your Park Tickets to MDE that when you go to make advance FP+, if your ticket is for 7 days, you can only do 7 days worth of FP+. No idea how it will work for those with APs. Maybe a limited number per month or week. No idea. I'm just guessing here and like everyone else trying to figure out how they are going to make this very complicated system user friendly.

 

[Robo]

-it really cracks me up how many people are bashing this new program that we all really don't know much about. Disney is all about the experience and continuous improvement. They aren't going to launch something that is (pardon my French) half ***... Disney is the company that all others only aspire to living up to. Just relax and see what happens.

But, Disney is subject to real-world physical limitations.
Some of those include:
Ride capacity per hour
Hours of operation per day
Popularity of attraction
Need to allow space for "standby guests" to load as well as FP
Frequency and propensity for breakdowns

Many of us here know quite a bit about those things and how Disney has
handled them with the regular FP system
(and how things have changed since they have 'adjusted" the regular
FP system pending the arrival of FP+.)

We know that the "best of intentions" can fall short as "new ideas" come to fruition.

The "new" JCP (J C Penny) was an outstanding flop, despite the best of intentions (and millions upon millions in cash-outlay.)
And, just this last month Penny's corporate had to issue a nationwide mea culpa
and attempt to "put things back" the way their customers wanted them.

Kodak is riding in the last roundup.
Hallmark Cards, once a corporate mainstay, is foundering.
Radio Shack may not make 2015 (or 14.)
Circuit City? Toast.
Big corporations can perpetrate some bad (very bad) decisions.
And, it is the PUBLIC who pronounces their verdict.

We, here on the DIS, are a big part of Disney Parks' "public."

Many of us are rooting for Disney, as we are major fans.

But, we are also major CRITICS when we see something that
appears to be headed down the wrong path.

Warning lights are going off.
Is someone at corporate paying attention?

 

[g-dad66]

They aren't going to launch something that is (pardon my French) half ***...!

Have you tried to use the new Disney website and/or My Disney Experience app lately?...

 

[Squidgyness]

I have a sneaky suspicion many people won't even bother trying to prebook anyway. I think the disboards planning culture may have given us a disproportionate image of how many people actually will prebook. Again, disney probably have done a study suggestion people wanted pre booking, but actually doing something takes more effort. Many people say offhand for example that they want to recycle but when it actually comes down to it, they can't be bothered. I think many people either won't want to book in advance or indeed know of it at all before they get there.

They will probably have to spend a lot on advertising too, but then why oh why didn't they just update the current fp system to RFID and kiosks and advertise it better. Did they really need pre bookable passes? I guess I sound kind of whiny, I suppose. It's happening and ill have to get used to it. But if people are confused with the old system...

Eh, I'm past worrying, if we have to standby most rides next year so be it. I'm not stressing over this any more... We'd only be waiting for something else, and hey, maybe it will save me money on souvenirs If there is one thing we british know how to do its queue. I think the longest standby time in 09 July was 45 mins for soarin. We did fastpass some stuff but the standby wasn't TOO long for most things I guess. Anyone know if its busier these days? Sorry if that's off topic.

And who knows, it might still work for us on the day fastpass users. Wait and see I guess.

 

[UNCFanatik]

Yet another FP+ thread that masquerades as a source of LEGITIMATE info but has devolved into people just back to pure speculation. And predictions on gloom and doom from the same DISers who have been spotty at best in their predictions.

And the DIS is a small...not a big part of total visitors and patrons of Disney. Make no mistake about that.

Another thread to keep in mind once the FP+ system is rolled out and fully operational for 6 months. Lets all compare notes then.

 

[jade1]

Let's play the "It's Not Fair" game.

"It's Not Fair" that guests who show up early in the morning to a park get the best chance at coveted FastPasses.
The coveted FP's will all go quickly that day.

But, some guests can't get up early. "It's Not Fair."

We need to "Make It Fair."

So, let's design a NEW system that does not require guests to get up early in the morning during a vacation in order to get coveted FastPasses.

This NEW system will allow guests who pre-buy tickets and pre-plan trips to pre-book coveted FP's up to 60 days in advance.
The coveted FP's will all go quickly at the 60-day mark.

But, some guests can't pre-buy tickets and pre-plan trips to pre-book coveted FP's up to 60 days in advance. "It's Not Fair."

We need to "Make It Fair."

So, let's design a NEW system that does not require guests to pre-buy tickets and pre-plan trips to pre-book coveted FP's up to 60 days in advance.

I'm thinking that we may be at or approaching the situation of blue paragraph above.

At some point, those who make the effort to UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM and plan accordingly will be ahead of the curve.

Maybe that's the crux of the idea that "It's Not Fair."

And just maybe, we can't "Make It Fair" to everyone in every situation.

This is on track-we lived without as we sleep in-no problem.

But if it was really this-they would have just stamped morning FP's with a 3 or 4 hour wait until you could obtain another. There has to be more to it IMO.

 

[doconeill]

I think part of the fairness will hinge on how they balance pre-book and same-day. Assuming that there are same-day FP+ available, then people will acquire them the old-fashioned way: first-come, first-served. Don't want to be there at rope drop for TSM? Get your tickets early and book at 60 days.

As mentioned, you can't make a system perfectly fair. Even if you get rid of FP/FP+ altogether, you'd still have shorter lines in the morning, longer in the afternoon, favoring the early people, etc.

And those VIP guides will become even more valuable

 

[monorailrabbit]

All this will do is complicate peoples planning because at midnight all the TSM early fastpasses will be gone and then you will have to take a late time that may not be when you wanted to be in the park etc etc etc. The whole RFID system seems to actually take longer at the gates than the regular tickets did, although that could be just because it is new. I think Disney is headed in the wrong direction, people are going to be constantly staring at their smartphone during their trip which will take away the family atmosphere. Then after getting to the ride you want to do thanks to your smartphone you will stand in an interactive chaos, oh I mean que, where you can freak out as your kids run off and play and one parent has to track them down while the other stays in line wondering how you will find them as the line moves further and further away.

and with everyone looking down at their cell phones, the walkways will be in complete gridlock. if you are able to get to a ride, you will have no wait time because everyone is standing in the walkway. See, FP+ does work.

THIS! Some people don't pay attention now, with everyone starting down at their phones it will be a mess! Gridlock, people bumping into you, not paying attention to their kids or where other people are... I am picturing this in my head and it is NOT pretty! I love that Disney WORLD is just that - it's own little world and I never even thought about having my phone with me in years past... I like being in the world and kind of forgetting the outside! I think this really could put a damper on the magic.

 

[Planogirl]

THIS! Some people don't pay attention now, with everyone starting down at their phones it will be a mess! Gridlock, people bumping into you, not paying attention to their kids or where other people are... I am picturing this in my head and it is NOT pretty! I love that Disney WORLD is just that - it's own little world and I never even thought about having my phone with me in years past... I like being in the world and kind of forgetting the outside! I think this really could put a damper on the magic.

I still don't intend to bring a phone. I'll just do the best I can but I really don't want any connections to the outside world when I'm on vacation.

To be fair, I do have a regular phone but it has no capacity and I only bring it in case of emergency.

 

[doggydoc]

Did I just hear on DIS Unplugged that they heard from "very good sources" that there will be only 3 FP's per day in 1 park if using FP+? And that this will be the only FP option within 2 years?

They seemed pretty unequivocal about it.

 

[doconeill]

Did I just hear on DIS Unplugged that they heard from "very good sources" that there will be only 3 FP's per day in 1 park if using FP+? And that this will be the only FP option within 2 years?

They seemed pretty unequivocal about it.

They have the same info we have, and I still think there is confusion over being able to pre-book 3 FP+, vs. what may or may not be offered in the park. Disney has only announced about pre-booking, and said nothing about what happens during the day so far.

I was listening when Pete said it...

 

[doggydoc]

They have the same info we have, and I still think there is confusion over being able to pre-book 3 FP+, vs. what may or may not be offered in the park. Disney has only announced about pre-booking, and said nothing about what happens during the day so far.

I was listening when Pete said it...

Then you heard him say it was new information, that it was a source he trusted and, very emphatically I might add, that you could not get FP's at a second park .