FP+ vs old FP vs no FP

[lizzyb]

I have not been back since fp+ started but just booked my fp and I am not liking having to plan out soo much ahead of time.

 

[auralia]

I am here now and prefer legacy fast pass. Now everything has as to be planned in advance. You really can't get a fourth fast pass later in the day for the most part. After 12 or 1 all headliners are gone. You can get pirates and haunted mansion etc, but these rides rarely had huge lines before (high times excluded). Now pirates is 45 minutes at mid day and if you have any evening fireworks fast pass no fourth for you. I have spent more time in lines, done less things, spent more money for it, and been treated worse (not by everyone but there is defiantly less of the automatic disney smile).

Heck at check in our room request fore medical reasons had been give away (was told we had been assigned a room for our needs no she had no idea why it had been given away). Took 20 minutes to find us a new room and talking to a manager about why we needed ground floor (I know requests are not guaranteed but the woman checking us in volunteered our room had been switched out that morning and that the notes on it said it could only be switched for same and and it was not.)

We Will Only be doing disney every 2-3 years after this year. Currently have a weekend trip in November booked and am thinking about canceling it. It will be right before my AP expires so I may still go because the ticket is bought. Really need the kinks worked out of the system. Many times I tried to alter my fast passes only to find the system was not working.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

The reason for the tiers is there would be no tier 1 left for people at 30 day mark without it. Soarin & TT would be gone, TSM & RnR would be gone. I doubt they will end it. You might be happy to get both without it but then you might get neither.

You can now get more than 3. I managed to get 7 on May 19, 5 at MK and 2 at AK.

Ugh. What part of BASE DAYS and a limit of 3 (not on property) is so hard to understand.

We booked our FP one week ahead and got good times, didn't have to do it 30 days out. There is no reason to need to decide what ride you want to go on a month early to the hour. Its stupid and not even practical. No other park does this and clearly its not effective for the masses. Probably why no other parks do this, including Disney parks.

I thought I had done it all right. I booked my 3 FP and my anniversary dinner at EP in advance. Sat comes and we get stormed on the entire day so my parents don't even want to go to EP that day at all (again we live in different parts of the country so I'm not going to leave them high and dry on their only park day the whole trip or make them push mom in a wheel chair thru Showcase in a rainstorm.) We cancel the whole day and move everything to a week later after the cruise. We had to make brand new FP reservations anyway. Point being that you can't even plan stuff ONE WEEK in advance. 4weeks? That baloney. A desperate attempt to get us obsessed with Disney planning and ADRs because they see that it translates into pure dollars.

I'm obsessed with Disney planning but I'm going to the parks they have left that don't have it. If they had a one week FP system, they probably wouldn't need tiers. Its retarded Disney themselves offering it so early so its a booking frenzy. They have created this feeding frenzy and they are laughing to the bank, they think.

 

[SpringSprite]

if you have any evening fireworks fast pass no fourth for you.

I've never utilized FP in any form...were there FP- available for fireworks? If not, than I personally wouldn't see this as a negative for the current system, I just wouldn't pick a parade or fireworks if I wanted to use the rolling 4th.

 

[Beer Me]

FP is a nice benefit but you don't need it to get on a ride! I've always visited in summer when it's super crowded. I never expected to get a FP for every major ride. We always end up waiting in at least a couple of 60+ minute lines.
I absolutely love the fact that I have 3 FPs nailed down before I go through the gate. When those are used it's just like the old system.
The complainers have lost their minds. The disney you imagine in the past has never existed. When it's crowded you have to wait in some lines. Suck it up like every else.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

We are all spontaneous vacationers, and we prefer the old FP system. Our October trip was full of "line waiting," from rides to guest services, so we are opting out for awhile. Our regular vacations with 13 family members won't be happening anytime soon. So glad we didn't by DVC.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Dude BeerMe, don't tell me it never existed. Last year, we rode multiples all over the place and hopped to all 4 parks and two of them twice PLUS had sit down dinner. All in one day and that was during Mid April where some Atlanta districts had spring break. The month before that was Daytona weeks and on a Sat we also hopped from 11a-12am to 4 parks (and Ep twice) and rode multiples. This year, we could barely fit in 10 things on a base day and one of those 10 things included dinner. Dinner never used to be an attraction. Thankfully it was one of the best things I've done but point being we couldn't finish one park one day whereas last year, we hopped 4 parks in one day.

We have gone for decades and the only experience that was comparable was Thanksgiving week in 2005 (which we will never do again.) Otherwise, this was early May and school was still in. Even their CMs when you ask then what is going on with the wait times, even they say "its the new FP system."

The proof is there, we used to ride and ride and hop and move on after a few hours. Now, 12 hrs isn't even enough. It did uses to exist and it is different now.

We may have to accept it but it does NOT mean we have to like it. I have done a Land and Sea with Disney for several years in a row but I will NOT do that ever again in this FP system because you need like at least a week at Disney now so I don't have time to combine it with a Disney cruise anymore. Used to be my favorite Disney vacation style but as far as that goes, they have shot themselves in the foot for land and sea...

 

[skater]

FP is a nice benefit but you don't need it to get on a ride! I've always visited in summer when it's super crowded. I never expected to get a FP for every major ride. We always end up waiting in at least a couple of 60+ minute lines.
I absolutely love the fact that I have 3 FPs nailed down before I go through the gate. When those are used it's just like the old system.
The complainers have lost their minds. The disney you imagine in the past has never existed. When it's crowded you have to wait in some lines. Suck it up like every else.

I did not imagine the Disney of the past.

 

[Daisy&Max]

Ugh. What part of BASE DAYS and a limit of 3 (not on property) is so hard

I don't think it's that people don't understand base tickets, it's that the majority of people on Disney bulletin boards get more than one day tickets. I'm guessing, and just my personal guess, is that it's another way for Disney to get you on property and spending more days. This they are making more money. I'm sorry you had a rough time.


Thank for all the other answers and your reasons. It's good to hear multiple opinions.

Daisy

 

[skater]

Dude BeerMe, don't tell me it never existed. Last year, we rode multiples all over the place and hopped to all 4 parks and two of them twice PLUS had sit down dinner. All in one day and that was during Mid April where some Atlanta districts had spring break. The month before that was Daytona weeks and on a Sat we also hopped from 11a-12am to 4 parks (and Ep twice) and rode multiples. This year, we could barely fit in 10 things on a base day and one of those 10 things included dinner. Dinner never used to be an attraction. Thankfully it was one of the best things I've done but point being we couldn't finish one park one day whereas last year, we hopped 4 parks in one day.

We have gone for decades and the only experience that was comparable was Thanksgiving week in 2005 (which we will never do again.) Otherwise, this was early May and school was still in. Even their CMs when you ask then what is going on with the wait times, even they say "its the new FP system."

The proof is there, we used to ride and ride and hop and move on after a few hours. Now, 12 hrs isn't even enough. It did uses to exist and it is different now.

We may have to accept it but it does NOT mean we have to like it. I have done a Land and Sea with Disney for several years in a row but I will NOT do that ever again in this FP system because you need like at least a week at Disney now so I don't have time to combine it with a Disney cruise anymore. Used to be my favorite Disney vacation style but as far as that goes, they have shot themselves in the foot for land and sea...

This was our experience. At Epcot, we often rode Soarin' 3 times, Test Trek 2-3 times, Mission Space. And never ever had a line at Maelstrom. Magic Kingdom - never waited more than 10 minutes for PoTC. And seldom waited long for most of the other rides at MK (other than the major headliners). Like you, I may have to accept the changes, but I'm not stupid. I have experienced the changes and I don't like it. Will I stop traveling to Disney. Not yet. There's too much nostalgia. DH hasn't been back since the changes, and I'm spending lots of time warning him to not expect the same great experience. Lowering expectations, basically. We'll still have a wonderful time, but we'll have to accept the new reality and adjust attitudes accordingly.

 

[Jazzerfan]

Are these even feasible anymore? We've always managed to get on short waits through a STAND-BY line on some major attractions. Would this be the case with the FAST PASS+ system?

We're scheduled to go for late August which has typically been a slower time. Although I am expecting higher crowds this time, I will use the new FP+ system, but still expect to use the regular old STAND-BY lines.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Beer Me]

Ok, I'll admit I must be missing something about FP +. I understand the rules ( 3 in advance, tiers, etc) but how does it result in longer lines? Explain it like I'm 5 because I don't see the connection.

 

[Tricia732]

At first, I was chagrined because we're staying @ Shades of Green, and I didn't think that I would have the option to do FPP. However, the people @ SoG have bent over backwards to accommodate their guests by allowing us to purchase our tickets in advance and then emailing the ticket numbers. So I've made the FPP reservations for our trip, which is coming up in a few weeks. It seems like a fantastic option, so I'll let you know how it worked out for us upon our return.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Are these even feasible anymore? We've always managed to get on short waits through a STAND-BY line on some major attractions. Would this be the case with the FAST PASS+ system?

We're scheduled to go for late August which has typically been a slower time. Although I am expecting higher crowds this time, I will use the new FP+ system, but still expect to use the regular old STAND-BY lines.

Any thoughts on this?

Wait times have increased for rides such as HM and PoTC. These rides didn't have FP- before. Now they have FP+. My understanding is they load FP+ first and in great numbers...so they take many more from the fast pass line before they take standby guests. This causes the standby wait to be longer. Josh from easy had a write up on this awhile back. I've been watching wait times via the app and have seen those rides with 40 minute waits. Not first thing in the morning but they still get up there. The somewhat good thing is that now you can get addition FP+. So my personal plan is to reserve more of the headliner attractions (Peter Pan, 7DMT and A&E) and then I'll get additional ones for HM and PoTC. It seems those rides have more availability later in the day. But who knows what will happen in the crowded summer days....I'm there end of Oct so I still have time to wait and see.

 

[OtherScott]

FP+ for me.

Before FP+, complainers were told that they needed to put in a little effort, do some research, determine crowd levels for 4 parks on any number of given days, get to the parks early, develop a strategy. "Why should you get as much as I get when I do a lot more planning?"

Now, some of these same advisors (not you, of course) fondly remember showing up on a whim and walking onto rides. When I read about how many FPs some people used to pull, I remember what they said they needed to do to succeed - and it wasn't just breezing in on the spur of the moment and spontaneously meandering around the park.

We've combined the best experiences of a lot of people into one glamorized version. Yes, legacy had some advantages. Yes, it was good to great in some instances.

For me, FP+ takes away about as much spontaneity as determining specific park crowd levels. It adds back by providing 3 guarantees that allow me to meander around in between. My time at the preselected rides no longer includes walking to the ride to retrieve the FP. Maybe legacy FP combined with digital interface (access from anywhere - 1 FP at a time) would have satisfied most?

I liked legacy. I like FP+ more. I get why people agree and why they don't.

 

[skater]

FP+ for me.

Before FP+, complainers were told that they needed to put in a little effort, do some research, determine crowd levels for 4 parks on any number of given days, get to the parks early, develop a strategy. "Why should you get as much as I get when I do a lot more planning?"

Now, some of these same advisors (not you, of course) fondly remember showing up on a whim and walking onto rides. When I read about how many FPs some people used to pull, I remember what they said they needed to do to succeed - and it wasn't just breezing in on the spur of the moment and spontaneously meandering around the park.

We've combined the best experiences of a lot of people into one glamorized version. Yes, legacy had some advantages. Yes, it was good to great in some instances.

For me, FP+ takes away about as much spontaneity as determining specific park crowd levels. It adds back by providing 3 guarantees that allow me to meander around in between. My time at the preselected rides no longer includes walking to the ride to retrieve the FP. Maybe legacy FP combined with digital interface (access from anywhere - 1 FP at a time) would have satisfied most?

I liked legacy. I like FP+ more. I get why people agree and why they don't.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for us, legacy fp was more relaxing. Yes, we pulled lots of fp's, but we did it as we meandered around the park (with the exception of TSM which was always crazy ). We didn't have to follow a schedule set up way in advance. Yes, we always made rope drop and we had a strategy, but in-between our fp's, there were always rides with little waits. And we could choose them as we went. There's just much less of that now. The rigid scheduled times that I plan out weeks in advance is just not my ideal. I can understand why some like it though. For us, its more stressful to ride less rides and spend more money. (When I go with just adults, it doesn't matter because we don't care about riding everything. I'm glad that I was able to take my kids to Disney with the old system. They were totally spoiled).

 

[PEC]

I'm not disputing the facts on POTC and HM having longer waits. I will say that a trip a couple years ago the week before Easter and I passed up on HM in the afternoon because the wait was over 75 minutes. Rode it in the evening (10-15 wait). Last summer the wait was 60 for HM. On both trips we rode and did everything that all members of the group wanted to. I got some FPs using the old system but I never remember getting more than 4 or 5. In fact at most parks I only got 1 or 2. THe last trip we did not do quite a few headliners because:
a. the 5 yo grand daughter was not tall enough and
b. she liked rollercoasters but not dark, wet or scary rides.
Now I think everything can be different also based on the mechanics of the group. The trip over Easter was myself, DW and DD twins 11 at the time. We can commando the parks and get there RD, get the tough rides out of the way and then cruise a little afternoon and then in the evening hit short wait times. I dont think FP+ will change our ability to do all we want and normally a little extra. Now I am a bit of a realist and know that my planned trip with 12 that includes Grandchildren as young as 2 and their parents (20 something young adults) expectations will have to change. Don't see FP+ vs old system being the factor in getting lots done but more the herding of cats age 50+ to 2 all in the somewhat same direction. I cant blame Disney if everything does not go as well I just have to change expectations.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I'm not disputing the facts on POTC and HM having longer waits. I will say that a trip a couple years ago the week before Easter and I passed up on HM in the afternoon because the wait was over 75 minutes. Rode it in the evening (10-15 wait). Last summer the wait was 60 for HM. On both trips we rode and did everything that all members of the group wanted to. I got some FPs using the old system but I never remember getting more than 4 or 5. In fact at most parks I only got 1 or 2. THe last trip we did not do quite a few headliners because:
a. the 5 yo grand daughter was not tall enough and
b. she liked rollercoasters but not dark, wet or scary rides.
Now I think everything can be different also based on the mechanics of the group. The trip over Easter was myself, DW and DD twins 11 at the time. We can commando the parks and get there RD, get the tough rides out of the way and then cruise a little afternoon and then in the evening hit short wait times. I dont think FP+ will change our ability to do all we want and normally a little extra. Now I am a bit of a realist and know that my planned trip with 12 that includes Grandchildren as young as 2 and their parents (20 something young adults) expectations will have to change. Don't see FP+ vs old system being the factor in getting lots done but more the herding of cats age 50+ to 2 all in the somewhat same direction. I cant blame Disney if everything does not go as well I just have to change expectations.

Oh - I would expect longer waits at crowded times...no doubt that will happen. And yes touring with different ages will definitely change experience and that is not Disney's fault. My next trip with my sis and her fam.will be much different than my last which was adult only.

I do like FP+ more now via when it first came out but I don't see the "plus" in it aside from being able to book rides for arrival and departure day. Did the old system have flaws...of course - I just liked them better.

Now I realize we're not going back to the old system so I just spend time wishful thinking of how the new system really could be a "plus" for me. I would love to be able to prebook 3 in more than one park and have the ability to have a rolling third. This way I wouldn't feel like I was wasting FPs in Epcot and actually entice me to get hoppers. And 2, I think FP for MSEP and Wishes is a great idea but then you're stuck with only 3 and that's kinda stinky.

ETA: while I still say arriving for RD is key, I think that value is somewhat diminished compared to what is was b/c now folks get them right at 9 where before I believe it might have been 9:45 or 10.

 

[dmychuds]

It just seems that people are upset that they don't get to have everything. There's a lot of "I want to come when I want to, ride what I want to, and not experience a wait of more than 20 minutes"

And then there's the "I love planning that's why I come on the DIS!" but then "I don't want to plan this much!"

People complained about the old fast pass system and they complain about this one too. I think some people just complain.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Are these even feasible anymore? We've always managed to get on short waits through a STAND-BY line on some major attractions. Would this be the case with the FAST PASS+ system?

We're scheduled to go for late August which has typically been a slower time. Although I am expecting higher crowds this time, I will use the new FP+ system, but still expect to use the regular old STAND-BY lines.

Any thoughts on this?

That is what has us so upset. Everything is long lines. We always walked right on SSE, and it's been 30-40 min wait. Its now a FP ride. Figment, who waits for that? Its now got 40 min waits. Maelstrom was over 50 min. People feel like they have to get a FP for SOMETHING so when these are all that are left, there ya go, they are now choosing FPs for these attractions that typically never had them to begin with. Things like Great Movie Ride, we did walk on to it around 9:30 am but after that, the lines got silly too.

And then there is the topic of the Tiers at HS and the stand by lines for that. Because we had to choose one, we had to standby the other (and vice versa) which meant all of us waited for 60-80 min for the other. I felt bad for the RnRc people in SB because that ride was down constantly. And frankly as mentioned, we used to single rider this, but when I asked the CM about single rider line, she told me it was closed due to the long lines.

So there you go. Believe me, we wouldn't be that irritated about the FP if we could ride stuff regardless. The whole place was chaotic. When we came back with our FPs, the line for FP would stretch way way out by the food vendors for people checking into the FP line.

Don't get me wrong, i was VERY VERY glad that I DID have my 3 FPs, but if I could have had one for TSMM, I would have no complaints, because at least we got to ride SOMETHING. But in general, the parks were completely mismanaged. And the CMs themselves admit it. I really feel for them this summer.

Again, as mentioned, people have different vacation styles. My first 3 Day Disney cruise last year was one of the best trips we EVER had, so I was dying to do another cruise, and we made it a 4 day. But it also constrained the days we had to go to the parks (Sat it stormed and stormed and was supposed to be our EP base day, so we switched it to DisneyQuest as a sort of bonus. Sun was sunny at HS day and that was the one that was soooo chaotic. Fri after the cruise we went to SeaWorld, and experienced ridiculous delays there too thanks to school kids making it their senior day etc, but because so many of their attractions are shows that accomodate 1500 people or even more, we still saw A LOT that day and then ran around at the end of the day and rode Manta 3 times before closing with 0 wait time. EP was moved to the Sat after the cruise and it was better but even at RD, TestTrack got to be 40 min pretty quick. We were smart enough to FP Soarin. We got straight in TT's line and had about a 30 min wait or less, not bad at all. One FP we didn't even use because we went on the ride when it had no line, and Nemo was a 15 min wait, our other FP, again showing that you just don't know what you need a FP for even one week ahead of time. Maelstrom got to be a lot higher and we would have ridden that, but we skipped it, but had we known, we would have FP that, because the other ones were busts. Soarin was a big help though...)

Point being, I never thought 1 whole day at EP and 1 whole day at HS wouldn't be enough to see those parks. We still had a great experience, but we ended up getting into such a huge fight a few days later about who had gotten to pick the tier 1 for HS and the blame game and honestly, I had never experienced anything like it. It has stolen some of my magic of the trip, although our photos are all awesome, and I'm trying to overlook that drama and appreciate it as the awesome trip for 2014. But it was totally different from our Land and Sea last year which was just one day at WDW and we still got to see ALL our favorites at ALL 4 parks AND have a sit down dinner.

That's what I'm emphasizing. They have screwed it up for us Half Land Half Sea trip people. We were gone 10 days as it was. Next year in next fall, I'm spending $0 for Disney Cruising and dedicating all my $ to a land trip in DLR, where the FP is like it used to be, and where almost the same amount of rides are compactly placed into 2 parks and where TSMM has a wait of about 30 min average. We will be going the 1st week of Dec and expect crowd levels to be pretty low.