Ok - Never started a thread before but I am here now and feel that I have to share!! I know the system is far from perfect but maybe it will help put some at ease.
I have been to WDW almost every year for the last several years. Each time I research like crazy especially on the DIS to learn as much as I can before my trip. Thanks to my sister who I think is an expert and this site I always feel super prepared for my trip. For this trip however, reading all of the FP/MB negativity really took away the excitement and anticipation for my trip. I came to Disney sort of negative and definitely thinking it would be our last trip for a long time. I wasn't even excited.
Well, to my surprise - it has been a great experience! Our magic bands have worked perfectly (knock on wood) without a glitch for our rooms, FP+, park entrance, and to pay in stores, snack kiosks, and restaurants. I have to say it is nice not to have to get out my debit card every time and to not have to keep track of everyone's tickets and FPs. The only thing I wish was that there was a way to tell how much I have spent on my MB. I am sure there is if I call the front desk which I haven't yet.
As far as FP+ it has worked well for us too. I scheduled my choices a few weeks ago but have been changing them along the way. For example we were at MK on Wed and were over by Buzz and had a FP for BTMR. Instead of rushing over to the other side of the park, I moved the time to later and we finished that side of the park and worked our way over. I am sure this will be more challenging or not possible at busier times of year but for my trip it has been great. This worked the same for me at AK with the safari and for TOT at HS. (For those of you that asked in a different post) per a CM today TOT has had once side down for more than a few days which explains the longer wait times.
The other thing I liked about FP+ was knowing I have FPs for the must do attractions for my family. I could allow my daughter to sleep in after a late night knowing I still at least had FP for TSM and TOT and single rider for RNR. Although I would prefer to be there at Rope Drop, at least having something took the pressure off of me.
My husband is here for a convention so for today I had originally scheduled FPs for the PM when he would be off to ride with us. He ended up not needing to work today so when I found out last night I immediately went on MDE and changed them all back to late AM. The only one I could not change was TSM because there were no early times which was what I wanted. When I went on about 8 this am I was able to get a time at noon. YAY!
The other thing that that worked well was being able to switch to a different attraction when I arrived at something with a reasonable wait. Again, there will be less options at busier times but it was kind of nice.
My complaints would be the same as many other posters which are the tiers at HS and Epcot. It forces you to either wait in line for a headliner or get there at rope drop for it. I also don't agree with being limited with my choices to one park. Because I knew I was limited to one park, I did not get hoppers which has actually forced me to enjoy some probably much needed down time at the resort. It had made it more of vacation and less commando which is VERY different for me but in some ways nice. It was nice on the days we went into the parks late to know we at least had some rides without waits. It is definitely a HUGE advantage to stay onsite and not deal with the Kiosks and to be able to change on the fly.
Overall, it has been a WAY BETTER experience than I anticipated and nice to not have to run around and get FPs which I have always done in the past. It seemed like I wasted less time then I used to going back and forth across the parks because when I booked them I did it with a sequence in mind.
It also seems the consistency of the MB working has much improved in the past few weeks. Unlike what I had been reading, I never (again, knock on wood) saw anyone with issues at the FP entrances and always saw green. Since I had always used way more than 3 FP in the past, I would love to be able to get more than 3 and eliminate tiers but it is definitely not as terrible as I thought it would be and in some instances put me at ease knowing I already had my FPs when I was sitting in the AM itching for sleeping children to wake up. In the past I would have thrown clothes on them while they were sleeping and dragged them to the bus!
One tip I would definitely recommend is to take a picture of your actual 3 FP times. It is way easier to go back to that picture than to go back to the page on MDE. Also, once you choose one of the sets of times Disney has given you, you can then go in and change each time individually. For those of you planning ahead of time, if you want AM times it seemed to work better to pick the suggested PM times and then immediately go back and change them one at a time to the AM times you want. Otherwise if you choose FPs for 9, 10, and 11 when you go to change the 11 ride to an earlier time it will not give you that as an option because you already have something during that time. It also didn't give me FP options during my ADRs.
In terms of MDE, it has worked well on my Iphone all week. I have changed FPs, and made and cancelled ADRs. It does kill your battery especially because I was also using my phone for pictures. I have a portable charger called RAV Power (cheap on amazon) that I kept in my bag and plugged my phone in periodically. If you plan to use your phone to manage your times it is worth it.
I also wanted to share that the BOG lunch FP link from the DIS worked perfectly. I actually had it booked for Sunday 1/26. On Wed we were in the MK and wanted to have lunch. I logged in from my phone at noon and changed my FP to Wed at 1. I figured it would never work since I had no confirmation number and had just made a same day ressie on my phone. I walked up to the booth and they had my name and walked me right in past the huge line of waiting guests. It was great!!
Since it is here to stay, I hope Disney keeps taking all of the feedback and improving on the system to make it better for all of us in the future. I hope this helps put someone at ease to enjoy planning their trip!
I have been to WDW almost every year for the last several years. Each time I research like crazy especially on the DIS to learn as much as I can before my trip. Thanks to my sister who I think is an expert and this site I always feel super prepared for my trip. For this trip however, reading all of the FP/MB negativity really took away the excitement and anticipation for my trip. I came to Disney sort of negative and definitely thinking it would be our last trip for a long time. I wasn't even excited.
Well, to my surprise - it has been a great experience! Our magic bands have worked perfectly (knock on wood) without a glitch for our rooms, FP+, park entrance, and to pay in stores, snack kiosks, and restaurants. I have to say it is nice not to have to get out my debit card every time and to not have to keep track of everyone's tickets and FPs. The only thing I wish was that there was a way to tell how much I have spent on my MB. I am sure there is if I call the front desk which I haven't yet.
As far as FP+ it has worked well for us too. I scheduled my choices a few weeks ago but have been changing them along the way. For example we were at MK on Wed and were over by Buzz and had a FP for BTMR. Instead of rushing over to the other side of the park, I moved the time to later and we finished that side of the park and worked our way over. I am sure this will be more challenging or not possible at busier times of year but for my trip it has been great. This worked the same for me at AK with the safari and for TOT at HS. (For those of you that asked in a different post) per a CM today TOT has had once side down for more than a few days which explains the longer wait times.
The other thing I liked about FP+ was knowing I have FPs for the must do attractions for my family. I could allow my daughter to sleep in after a late night knowing I still at least had FP for TSM and TOT and single rider for RNR. Although I would prefer to be there at Rope Drop, at least having something took the pressure off of me.
My husband is here for a convention so for today I had originally scheduled FPs for the PM when he would be off to ride with us. He ended up not needing to work today so when I found out last night I immediately went on MDE and changed them all back to late AM. The only one I could not change was TSM because there were no early times which was what I wanted. When I went on about 8 this am I was able to get a time at noon. YAY!
The other thing that that worked well was being able to switch to a different attraction when I arrived at something with a reasonable wait. Again, there will be less options at busier times but it was kind of nice.
My complaints would be the same as many other posters which are the tiers at HS and Epcot. It forces you to either wait in line for a headliner or get there at rope drop for it. I also don't agree with being limited with my choices to one park. Because I knew I was limited to one park, I did not get hoppers which has actually forced me to enjoy some probably much needed down time at the resort. It had made it more of vacation and less commando which is VERY different for me but in some ways nice. It was nice on the days we went into the parks late to know we at least had some rides without waits. It is definitely a HUGE advantage to stay onsite and not deal with the Kiosks and to be able to change on the fly.
Overall, it has been a WAY BETTER experience than I anticipated and nice to not have to run around and get FPs which I have always done in the past. It seemed like I wasted less time then I used to going back and forth across the parks because when I booked them I did it with a sequence in mind.
It also seems the consistency of the MB working has much improved in the past few weeks. Unlike what I had been reading, I never (again, knock on wood) saw anyone with issues at the FP entrances and always saw green. Since I had always used way more than 3 FP in the past, I would love to be able to get more than 3 and eliminate tiers but it is definitely not as terrible as I thought it would be and in some instances put me at ease knowing I already had my FPs when I was sitting in the AM itching for sleeping children to wake up. In the past I would have thrown clothes on them while they were sleeping and dragged them to the bus!
One tip I would definitely recommend is to take a picture of your actual 3 FP times. It is way easier to go back to that picture than to go back to the page on MDE. Also, once you choose one of the sets of times Disney has given you, you can then go in and change each time individually. For those of you planning ahead of time, if you want AM times it seemed to work better to pick the suggested PM times and then immediately go back and change them one at a time to the AM times you want. Otherwise if you choose FPs for 9, 10, and 11 when you go to change the 11 ride to an earlier time it will not give you that as an option because you already have something during that time. It also didn't give me FP options during my ADRs.
In terms of MDE, it has worked well on my Iphone all week. I have changed FPs, and made and cancelled ADRs. It does kill your battery especially because I was also using my phone for pictures. I have a portable charger called RAV Power (cheap on amazon) that I kept in my bag and plugged my phone in periodically. If you plan to use your phone to manage your times it is worth it.
I also wanted to share that the BOG lunch FP link from the DIS worked perfectly. I actually had it booked for Sunday 1/26. On Wed we were in the MK and wanted to have lunch. I logged in from my phone at noon and changed my FP to Wed at 1. I figured it would never work since I had no confirmation number and had just made a same day ressie on my phone. I walked up to the booth and they had my name and walked me right in past the huge line of waiting guests. It was great!!
Since it is here to stay, I hope Disney keeps taking all of the feedback and improving on the system to make it better for all of us in the future. I hope this helps put someone at ease to enjoy planning their trip!
