FP + What we know and what we want to know

[Robbi]

I don't know about you, but those accounts of mine are already indirectly linked with Disney.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't know about you, but those accounts of mine are already indirectly linked with Disney.

 

[bcrook]

If this has been asked, please forgive me.
Should Disney limit FPs to a certain number per day that can only be used in one park, won't that make hopping less attractive? Seems they would lose money from people getting only the base passes. They'll already lose some AP buyers, including me, at least until we see how it works and they get any glitches fixed.

There are two schools of thought. 1. It actually helps hopping because you will have a better experience at the second park. You could have three FP+ waiting for you there with times that are convenient for you. If you get to the first park early you could enjoy it without FP. In off peak times it is probably helpful no matter what. 2. It will hurt hopping because you can only schedule in one park a day.

If Disney is using this information to gauge attendance and plan accordingly, hopping would be something they would like to minimize. But there is no evidence that hopping is being curtailed. I can't even imagine staying at boardwalk and not hopping.

 

[jade1]

If this has been asked, please forgive me.
Should Disney limit FPs to a certain number per day that can only be used in one park, won't that make hopping less attractive? Seems they would lose money from people getting only the base passes. They'll already lose some AP buyers, including me, at least until we see how it works and they get any glitches fixed.

Hard to say. If you have the EPCOT or MK reserved for the evening (or afternoon)-it may be DHS EMH AM-that may be a great time to head there and knock out TSM/TOT/RNR-then hop later to your prearranged schedule. Or if you may want to hit Fantasmic after you had EPCOT scheduled for the afternoon, esp if its DHS EMH EVE.

 

[bcrook]

It's not an exact ride time - no "arrive at 3:53pm" type scenario. You have 3 FP+ and each has an hour long window and they'l be grouped roughly together for a morning, afternoon, or evening.

Speaking of hopping, if I go to DHS in morning schedule ride TSMM at 11:00 am. Head over to Epcot for lunch and milling around. Then head back to DHS for late EMH and two more FP+.

I wonder how much I can control my times. I am sure not many people bounce around this much. But there is only a boat ride between those two parks. And Epcot does have better food options.

 

[reelmom]

I still think they need these readers in Universal's parking lot! Then your phone lights up with lots of free offers and FP+ plus start pouring out of your phone like hitting the jackpot on a slot machine!

Or start zapping you like a shock collar to get you back on Disney property.

 

[mousermerf]

There are two schools of thought. 1. It actually helps hopping because you will have a better experience at the second park. You could have three FP+ waiting for you there with times that are convenient for you. If you get to the first park early you could enjoy it without FP. In off peak times it is probably helpful no matter what. 2. It will hurt hopping because you can only schedule in one park a day.

If Disney is using this information to gauge attendance and plan accordingly, hopping would be something they would like to minimize. But there is no evidence that hopping is being curtailed. I can't even imagine staying at boardwalk and not hopping.

Crossover (aka: park hopping) is a major reason Epcot doesn't have a parade. The daily strain on the monorail system and entry when people flocked to Epcot from their first park-of-choice for the afternoon and evening performance of Tapestry was an expense Disney simply didn't want. It short, a major spike, and couldn't be worked into the daily operations without vast over-staffing for the rest of the day.

Disney's solution? Eliminate the spike. They got rid of the parade despite it still being relatively popular at the time it closed. Yes it needed to be "redone" again to refresh it, but the MK parade has done that dozens of times without major changes at this point. Note that the same fireworks show that features the parade puppets still plays nightly.

So park-hopping can sometimes be a liability to Disney. Similarly, it was seen as a problem at the Disneyland Resort with World of Color - guests would start at Disneyland, run over to DCA for the World of Color, then run back to Disneyland for the rest of their night. Disney didn't want that type of touring pattern and the Electronica and such sprung up to try and keep guests in DCA after and before World of Color in the evenings. Dashing to Disneyland to see Fantasmic or the Fireworks was to be stopped.

 

[reelmom]

If they intentionally work it that way, I think it is deceptive.

I usually ask, "What gets me what discount here?" Between DVC, AP, and TIW, which I have at various times, it's hard to keep track of what gets what where...much rather have it automatic, both for myself and the CM who has to figure it out.

Speaking of which, I wonder when TIW will get tied to MagicBands

Pretty much. FP+ is just one aspect - but it's going to be their biggest selling point.

I don't know much about TIW because I have never had an AP. do they limit the number of people on your party that can use it? Say I have 4 people in my family and we are meeting up with friends that has a party of 10. So could all 14 use the TIW card if we have it all on one check? If so, linking the TIW card to the band could limit the number of people using my TIW, just the ones I have linked to my account. Could save Disney a bunch of money.

 

[ParrotBill]

I think the reason we DISers are not happy with what we have heard so far is this:

We are the "power visitors" of WDW. We are not the average visitor under debate. We arrive early and get maximum use of Fastpasses today. I bet when Disney surveys the average user they get an EARful of complaints about the present system. "We get here about 10am, we reach our first Fastpass ride about 10:30, the return time is already 12:30, and then maybe we get one more that has a return time of 5pm but we want to eat dinner then..."

It looks to me like the new system is meant to level the field and create Fastpass opportunity across a wider range of visitors and "spread the wealth".

And along the way they have a brilliant new data collection system which will help them see who is planning to visit where on what days, show them crowd patterns, and offer "specials" during the day to attract the crowds to less used areas and spread people out. And keep them in the park.

What I will really hate is if the system gets people to plan ahead, and then a large percentage do not use them - blocking the system from redistributing them. That will only benefit the standby lines.

I am not thrilled either. Although I do like to plan ahead, the weather or unexpected crowds will send me park-hopping quickly so I hope there is flexibility. (The same reason I hate free dining... can't change my dining plans same day because the reservations are all saturated.)























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[Robo]

Crossover (aka: park hopping) is a major reason Epcot doesn't have a parade. The daily strain on the monorail system and entry when people flocked to Epcot from their first park-of-choice for the afternoon and evening performance of Tapestry was an expense Disney simply didn't want.

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[bcrook]

I don't know much about TIW because I have never had an AP. do they limit the number of people on your party that can use it? Say I have 4 people in my family and we are meeting up with friends that has a party of 10. So could all 14 use the TIW card if we have it all on one check? If so, linking the TIW card to the band could limit the number of people using my TIW, just the ones I have linked to my account. Could save Disney a bunch of money.

Ewwww! That would mean more friends networking. Good magicband question! Currently the limit is 10 people on one bill for Tables in Wonderland discount.

 

[reelmom]

From the FCC filing, which also goes in line with the privacy FAQ, the MagicBands contain an RF transmitter that at least works over a short distance (not sure the exact distance) that could be received by stations. They haven't said exactly what it would be used for, but given past ideas floated around, they can provide customized experiences within attractions, etc.

They could also do a variety of other things based on your position in the park.

Disney has pretty much said that it is a feature you get with admission (so it's not complete speculation), so they will need to accommodate it somehow. We just haven't seen how it will work yet.

Another thing we don't know is when those guests with 3rd-party tickets will be able to participate. Until then, we are expecting regular FP to at least be available for those guests.

This may have already been posted but could it be that when traffic is heavy at one area of the park, Disney could send out FP's to people in that congested area to move them to a less crowded area? Send me a text saying I have a FP available if I go to that ride or show.

 

[Robo]

This may have already been posted but could it be that when traffic is heavy at one area of the park, Disney could send out FP's to people in that congested area to move them to a less crowded area? Send me a text saying I have a FP available if I go to that ride or show.

Yes. It has been discussed.

It was also discussed that many guests don't hear their text alerts in the parks,
and often don't read them very quickly.

 

[mousermerf]

Il
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Illuminations was not the problem, it was the parade.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There are many examples of Disney decisions that are based simply on money issues. They provide no benefit to customers at all: ticket increases, buffet price increases, Tables in Wonderland increase, cutting Fantasmic! shows, cutting extra magic hours, cutting monorail hours, closing the adventurers club, shuttering the wonders of life Pavillion, and many more. There is no positive benefit here for any customers.

I just don't agree. If a company is well-managed and invests in its future (I would advance that Disney is in this category), they need profits to reinvest into the business. It's a cost-benefit analysis: if we save $ here, spend it there, we get "more bang for our buck" in that we will make more customers happy. Making more customers happy = more revenue and profits.

You just might not agree with every trade off they've made -- they might not all benefit you enough -- and it's obviously your right to feel this way and make your vacationing decisions accordingly. They're not out to make any ONE customer happy -- they're looking to make as many happy as possible. Macro vs. micro perspective.

They might end up - over any short-term period - getting their cost-benefit analysis wrong. Then they have to adjust. Overall - over the years - this is a company that does more right than wrong. The evidence? The company's growth, market cap, consistent ratings as one of the best places to work, etc.

 

[bcrook]

Yes. It has been discussed.

It was also discussed that many guests don't hear their text alerts in the parks,
and often don't read them very quickly.

Well they should have made the magicbands light up and flash for every update. Although people would ignore it after awhile - it would probably light and flash a lot!

 

[mousermerf]

And really, if you feel what Disney believes about guest habits to be wrong, the bands are the best thing to solve that problem. They will know much more clearly what different guest groups do and how and when.

 

[mousermerf]

Well they should have made the magicbands light up and flash for every update. Although people would ignore it after awhile - it would probably light and flash a lot!

Pal Mickey vibrated and laughed - it was consistently ignored by guests.

 

[reelmom]

I think the reason we DISers are not happy with what we have heard so far is this:

We are the "power visitors" of WDW. We are not the average visitor under debate. We arrive early and get maximum use of Fastpasses today. I bet when Disney surveys the average user they get an EARful of complaints about the present system. "We get here about 10am, we reach our first Fastpass ride about 10:30, the return time is already 12:30, and then maybe we get one more that has a return time of 5pm but we want to eat dinner then..."

It looks to me like the new system is meant to level the field and create Fastpass opportunity across a wider range of visitors and "spread the wealth".

And along the way they have a brilliant new data collection system which will help them see who is planning to visit where on what days, show them crowd patterns, and offer "specials" during the day to attract the crowds to less used areas and spread people out. And keep them in the park.

What I will really hate is if the system gets people to plan ahead, and then a large percentage do not use them - blocking the system from redistributing them. That will only benefit the standby lines.

I am not thrilled either. Although I do like to plan ahead, the weather or unexpected crowds will send me park-hopping quickly so I hope there is flexibility. (The same reason I hate free dining... can't change my dining plans same day because the reservations are all saturated.)

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.

So if Disney thinks this is leveling the playing field, couldn't I complain that since I have to leave early for work on the day my 60 day window for FP becomes available, that when I am able to make my reservations that evening, all the FP's are gone. I guess I will take that day off work. LOL

 

[doconeill]

or start zapping you like a shock collar to get you back on disney property.

don't. Give. Any. Ideas.