FP+ Kiosks and additional FP's

[Suvadoo]

I'm starting to doubt this is in the cards. Disney surely has the IT capability to do it now, but perhaps they are holding back for fear that afternoon FP availability will dry up immediately if they let people book 4th FP on mobile devices. This may be an intentional hurdle.

Remember Disney's target audience is educating the causal vacation goer, particularly the first time visiting family, trying to minimize their overall wait in lines to get them to return. They have been successfull in so far as a much higher % of these folks know of FP+ than they did of legacy FP, do the detriment of people like us.

Interesting point. If they allow guests to make their 4th 5th and 6th FP+ reservations via mobile app, Disney will effectively shut out first time visitors who did not know about FP+ prior to arriving at the parks.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Based on what I saw, the kiosks seem to be mainly used by people who didn't prebook. Now, this may not be accurate, but that would also explain why the lines move so slowly also, because it takes a lot longer to pick three rides that everyone can agree on rather than one. I really wish that they would allow the 4th+ to be booked by phone, because there is nothing more frustrating than standing in line behind a party of 4 who are trying to book their three, when all you want to do is quickly grab a Philharmagic so you can try to change it on your phone.

 

[Suvadoo]

Based on what I saw, the kiosks seem to be mainly used by people who didn't prebook. Now, this may not be accurate, but that would also explain why the lines move so slowly also, because it takes a lot longer to pick three rides that everyone can agree on rather than one. I really wish that they would allow the 4th+ to be booked by phone, because there is nothing more frustrating than standing in line behind a party of 4 who are trying to book their three, when all you want to do is quickly grab a Philharmagic so you can try to change it on your phone.

Maybe they should have express lane kiosks for people who are just booking 1 FP+

 

[BSmithington]

The easiest answer is to stay CL @ GF like we do. All you need to do is text the concierge for the 4th plus fast pass. We never waited in a kiosk line.

 

[JimmyV]

FP+ was designed, in part, to deter "super users". The minute they make additional FPs available via the app, they will create the subculture of super users that they worked so hard to drive into obsolescence. Could I see Disney opening up FP+ via the app at, say, 4:00 p.m.? Sure. Any newbie who doesn't have any FPs by then doesn't need to be catered to. But allowing unfettered access to allocated FPs all day long by the swipe of a finger seems to run contrary to the whole idea of ride reallocation.

From the sound of it, the kiosks have done nothing to alter the "FP Runner" phenomenon. One member of the party runs around the park waiting in lines and then booking FPs for everyone else in the group and then rejoins the group. Anyone else think that this sounds familiar?

 

[jade1]

The easiest answer is to stay CL @ GF like we do. All you need to do is text the concierge for the 4th plus fast pass. We never waited in a kiosk line.

 

[ArwenMarie]

FP+ was designed, in part, to deter "super users". The minute they make additional FPs available via the app, they will create the subculture of super users that they worked so hard to drive into obsolescence. Could I see Disney opening up FP+ via the app at, say, 4:00 p.m.? Sure. Any newbie who doesn't have any FPs by then doesn't need to be catered to. But allowing unfettered access to allocated FPs all day long by the swipe of a finger seems to run contrary to the whole idea of ride reallocation.
iar?

Yeah, I don't think they will ever move the 4th FP to the app for this very reason. They could have done it already very easily.

I think the whole texting thing with CL is really telling...it's saying, hey, we know the kiosks stink, so let's help our highest-paying customers avoid them.

 

[Laketravis]

FP+ was designed, in part, to deter "super users". The minute they make additional FPs available via the app, they will create the subculture of super users that they worked so hard to drive into obsolescence. Could I see Disney opening up FP+ via the app at, say, 4:00 p.m.? Sure. Any newbie who doesn't have any FPs by then doesn't need to be catered to. But allowing unfettered access to allocated FPs all day long by the swipe of a finger seems to run contrary to the whole idea of ride reallocation.

From the sound of it, the kiosks have done nothing to alter the "FP Runner" phenomenon. One member of the party runs around the park waiting in lines and then booking FPs for everyone else in the group and then rejoins the group. Anyone else think that this sounds familiar?

 

[jade1]

Yeah, I don't think they will ever move the 4th FP to the app for this very reason. They could have done it already very easily.

I think the whole texting thing with CL is really telling...it's saying, hey, we know the kiosks stink, so let's help our highest-paying customers avoid them.

 

[Laketravis]

The easiest answer is to stay CL @ GF like we do. All you need to do is text the concierge for the 4th plus fast pass. We never waited in a kiosk line.

In some ways I think that points out the hidden irony of all this.

Mental picture of a family in Epcot who just used their third FP, texting their resort concierge for a 4th fast pass, waiting in relished anticipation for the response, and obtaining a sense of satisfaction with the message that a FastPass for Living with the Land has been added to their MDE accounts for 6:45pm.

Right on top of their ADR.

 

[jade1]

In some ways I think that points out the hidden irony of all this.

Mental picture of a family in Epcot who just used their third FP, texting their resort concierge for a 4th fast pass, waiting in relished anticipation for the response, and obtaining a sense of satisfaction with the message that a FastPass for Living with the Land has been added to their MDE accounts for 6:45pm.

Right on top of their ADR.

 

[Suvadoo]

In some ways I think that points out the hidden irony of all this.

Mental picture of a family in Epcot who just used their third FP, texting their resort concierge for a 4th fast pass, waiting in relished anticipation for the response, and obtaining a sense of satisfaction with the message that a FastPass for Living with the Land has been added to their MDE accounts for 6:45pm.

Right on top of their ADR.

Is it just me or does texting your concierge for a 4th FP seem a like too much work for too little reward? I really look at the 4th FP in much the same way. Based on my experiences, trying to obtain a FP for a 2nd or 3rd tier attraction seems pointless.
When I was at the MK, I didn't even bother with a FP for Dumbo, Teacups or Philharmagic. I like these attractions, but if the wait is longer than 5 minutes we just move on, it's just not worth it.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Is it just me or does texting your concierge for a 4th FP seem a like too much work for too little reward? I really look at the 4th FP in much the same way. Based on my experiences, trying to obtain a FP for a 2nd or 3rd tier attraction seems pointless.
When I was at the MK, I didn't even bother with a FP for Dumbo, Teacups or Philharmagic. I like these attractions, but if the wait is longer than 5 minutes we just move on, it's just not worth it.

Ditto. But I don't really "get" staying club level, so it's hard to think that being able to text someone is worth being able to avoid a 10 minute line. I can see in some cases where it would be handy (like to avoid that crazy FL line I witnessed December 13th!) but the fact is if the park is so busy that kiosk lines are an hour, then there isn't going to be much available for a 4th FP+ anyway.

 

[Laketravis]

Jade, I know you don't like my Epcot example but the fact is there are many people - thousands, in fact - that go to that park every day and are locked in.

It represents 1/4th of the parks. As a courtesy to you, I'll start using HS as an example as well, which would broaden my example base to thousands more families and represent 1/2 the parks.

In my above example, change "EP" to "HS" and "Living with the Land" to "The Great Movie Ride".

 

[jade1]

In my above example, change "EP" to "HS" and "Living with the Land" to "The Great Movie Ride".

XMAS week? I'll take it.

 

[Laketravis]

Is it just me or does texting your concierge for a 4th FP seem a like too much work for too little reward? I really look at the 4th FP in much the same way. Based on my experiences, trying to obtain a FP for a 2nd or 3rd tier attraction seems pointless.
When I was at the MK, I didn't even bother with a FP for Dumbo, Teacups or Philharmagic. I like these attractions, but if the wait is longer than 5 minutes we just move on, it's just not worth it.

It's not just you, and my bet is eventually WDW will feel that way as well. If these transactions ARE currently being processed by concierge staff, that is only taking them away from face-to-face guests at the desk. The more widespread this practice becomes, the more likely WDW will have to move it from the concierge desk to a call center (if they haven't already) and the costs for a human-agent facilitated text based dialogue will quickly spiral to unacceptable levels.

Which may then force WDW to move to a software based, automated fulfillment system - which they already have (the app).

So going full circle, why didn't they just enable 4th and more FP's for CL resort guests in the app?

 

[Laketravis]

XMAS week? I'll take it.

I probably would too - I've never denied that the success you've experienced and based all of your suppositions on was both tangible and of benefit to you.

But XMAS week represents less than 2% of the calendar; throw in NYE week when you had equal success obtaining a few rides in the evening and it still only represents less then 4% of the calender.

There are a lot of people that go the other 96% of the time.

 

[jade1]

I probably would too - I've never denied that the success you've experienced and based all of your suppositions on was both tangible and of benefit to you.

But XMAS week represents less than 2% of the calendar; throw in NYE week when you had equal success obtaining a few rides in the evening and it still only represents less then 4% of the calender.

There are a lot of people that go the other 96% of the time.

Yep, and I've always said we like FP+ because we travel peak. The rest of the year you guys can battle out what works best, what to improve, when any of its even needed, like the guys doing 50 rides in a day seems so odd to us peak weekers.

 

[norybell]

Maybe they should have express lane kiosks for people who are just booking 1 FP+

The express lane kiosk could be CM-free and you don't get to make any ride or time selections, it just gives you the next available FP+ for your party. You could then change it on your phone immediately after.

 

[Laketravis]

Sounds like there are a lot of ways they could make the current process of obtaining additional FP's easier, if they wanted to.