FP + What we know and what we want to know

[SaraJayne]

Maybe one of the new FP+ perks will be bringing the food to me as well... Dole Whips while we wait in Splash's unending standby line? Now that's something my 13-year-old could get down with.

From what I've heard, Universal does something similar, so it isn't all that far-fetched.

 

[mousermerf]

Unless they install facial recognition software, I don't see why you couldn't.

You're technically forbidden from doing so, but there's no real way to enforce it.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It's like we Disboarders have been given the answer to the test for years. And now the teacher has stopped doing that. Everyone will know the secret to our good grades. So we don't like it.

I think that this does explain some of the "we fear change" response on here!

For example, we studiers will know to not take what automatically pops up. And to never take a ressie time for 9:30 am since there won't be lines then anyway. And to get on at exactly 60 days of we want TSM at the exact day and time we want it.

You know, this does help assuage that tiny bit of "not fair!" feeling I had briefly!! You're performing a service here -- thank you!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Unless they install facial recognition software, I don't see why you couldn't.

Omg imagine that facial recognition software. I wonder if they will install an ugly filter and not let me in. Sorry lady pretty ones only in this park lol.

I can imagine in the future facial recognition. I bet their security systems use it now. I have heard of people that get banned for life have been caught in the parks and asked to leave. Assuming this is true they must have facial recognition to have realised they were in there. Would be cool if combined with the photopass

 

[maggiew]

How are they going to handle non-expiring tickets? I was thinking of buying some 10 day fully loaded non expiring tickets. I know that they took the non-expiring option off the WDW ticket page. So it seems like they are moving away from that. But what about if you already have them? If we load them onto our bracelet for one trip, what happens for the next trip?

DH and I have been in WDW area and not done the parks because we didn't want to spend the money on one day tickets. So I thought getting the 10 day non-expiring would be good for us so we could hit a park one day if we were passing through. For example, we cruised the last 2 years out of Port Canaveral but didn't do Disney even though we were there a couple days early. Plus my inlaws live in Florida, so we could head to Disney for a day or two on a whim when visiting them.

Now I am afraid to pull the plug on these tickets. I don't want to lose my 10 water park days, etc. some day down the road.

Maggie

 

[doconeill]

How are they going to handle non-expiring tickets? I was thinking of buying some 10 day fully loaded non expiring tickets. I know that they took the non-expiring option off the WDW ticket page. So it seems like they are moving away from that. But what about if you already have them? If we load them onto our bracelet for one trip, what happens for the next trip?

DH and I have been in WDW area and not done the parks because we didn't want to spend the money on one day tickets. So I thought getting the 10 day non-expiring would be good for us so we could hit a park one day if we were passing through. For example, we cruised the last 2 years out of Port Canaveral but didn't do Disney even though we were there a couple days early. Plus my inlaws live in Florida, so we could head to Disney for a day or two on a whim when visiting them.

Now I am afraid to pull the plug on these tickets. I don't want to lose my 10 water park days, etc. some day down the road.

Maggie

You can't lose them, unless WDW goes bankrupt.

How they will be handled is unknown. We don't know how they are going to handle expiring tickets either yet.

 

[reelmom]

From what I've heard, Universal does something similar, so it isn't all that far-fetched.

The queue at Universal that sells snacks is Forbidden Journey. They sell Butterbeer before you go into the Greenhouse portion.

 

[seashoreCM]

How are they going to handle non-expiring tickets? I was thinking of buying some 10 day fully loaded non expiring tickets. I know that they took the non-expiring option off the WDW ticket page. So it seems like they are moving away from that. But what about if you already have them? If we load them onto our bracelet for one trip, what happens for the next trip?

(probably) You would save the bracelet. That bracelet will continue to let you into the parks as long as there are admissions remaining on the ticket loaded onto it. That bracelet would not open any room doors and would not let you charge any meals or purchases. You may or may not be issued another bracelet for the latter functions. You will be allowed to transfer the remaining admissions onto the second bracelet provided that there were no admissions from a new package ticket already on that second bracelet.

 

[bigAWL]

You can't lose them, unless WDW goes bankrupt.

How they will be handled is unknown. We don't know how they are going to handle expiring tickets either yet.

Here's what the Disney Park Experience Terms and Conditions currently say:

CONVERTING TO PAPERLESS TICKETS

• Once available, you may convert certain paper tickets or passes to a paperless ticket or pass in the Site/App. Once converted, your ticket or pass park admission entitlements are stored in your account and fulfilled by an RF Device. The paper ticket or pass becomes void and is no longer valid for admission. However, you may want to keep your paper ticket or pass in the event you do not receive your RF Device before your visit or if you are a passholder you should keep your paper pass for validation of other passholder benefits.
• You are required to convert paper tickets and passes in order to make and use FastPass+ selections. Once you convert a ticket or pass you will no longer be able to participate in the standard FASTPASS service upon arrival at the parks.
• You may convert up to five valid unexpired paper tickets or passes for yourself and for your Friends.
• Partially used tickets or passes must be matched to the same person who originally used the ticket or pass. Tickets and passes are non-transferrable and must be used by the same person on all days.

 

[doconeill]

Here's what the Disney Park Experience Terms and Conditions currently say:

Right, but that doesn't really answer the question. We know that they can be converted according to the T&C...we don't know how yet.

 

[estherhead]

I think that this does explain some of the "we fear change" response on here!




You know, this does help assuage that tiny bit of "not fair!" feeling I had briefly!! You're performing a service here -- thank you!

Always glad to help.

I've always been excellent at tests. And I'm a tester of limits. So if there are ways to win and advantages I will poke around till I find them. And I have no guilt as anyone could do it if they are brave enough to poke around. I am indeed one of the people who have alarms go off in museums because I lean too close to paintings. I don't TOUCH them as that would be against the rules. I just get super close. And I check door knobs too to see if they are locked. But that was Walt, right? “When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” I guarantee you he tested door knobs when he walked past in public buildings.

But I also know when I'm found out and I raise my hand when the alarms go off. Curiosity does, indeed, kill cats. That's why God gave them 9 lives. So down the rabbit's hole for me!

 

[mommykds]

iI went online to check my reservation & a window popped up asking me if I wanted to sign up for MyDisneyExperience. I clicked "skip" for now until I figure this out more.

 

[Squidgyness]

See... people don't realise that humans are a very complex creature, no two are alike though there are certain trends and patterns in behaviour.

Disney needs to realise that people don't always react the way you want, no matter what the logic and amount of planning that has gone into it, there is always a certain amount of randomness to the situation.

Likewise, people need to stop overestimating some of the customers Disney gets, who, without meaning to offend them, don't always show common sense. First time customers are more likely to be susceptible to subtle marketing and mind... well, not control but influence.

As a pp said, giftshops. Third or fourth time of asking, many people either skip giftshops at the end of rides or make a concious decision to limit our spending. First time visitors, especially to theme parks in general, I think are more likely to spend on impulse buys and on things to remember the experience, since this is their first, and often last, time they visit. Just one example of how first time visitors can be an easier sell with the same methods.

In reply to the PP several pages back concerning advertising money, that is another really good point, imagine how much traffic the website will get because of this. With offsite and locals visiting it as well (as opposed to just onsite for some of the other WDW website sections) they'd be able to command more money for advertising. Not to mention the number of people who'd forget to tick the little box stopping them sending you ads later and other connected opportunity for more $$$. This isn't neccesarily all bad though.

And in regards to their being less reasons to stay at the WDW resorts as opposed to offsite, I can't speak for EMH, but the new Fastpass+ being offered to offsite too isn't anything less than you had since the old one was also offered to all. You aren't getting what you hoped for, but nothing has been taken away from you with regards to fastpass. Other areas I can't speak for.

 

[bigAWL]

Perhaps, but it still leads me to the last part of my statement:

Shoppers are going to shop and non-shoppers won't (no matter how much time you give them).

Believe, me I am not naive enough to think that the sole reason they are doing this is to for people just to shop more. I am sure it added into the equation. But I would hate for them to be naive enough to think that everyone automatically will shop more/spend more just because they have more time.

For us, we will take the extra time and simply head back to the resort and spend time at the pool (and thus spend nothing additional) since I will not spend my afternoons in 60 minute + standby lines once my 3 FP's are gone.

Limit it as much as it is feared it will be someday, and we will take all our "extra" time as well as our vacation $$$ to a completely different destination.

Just my 2 cents, YMMV

I agree with this: Non-shoppers are not going to shop (no matter how much time you give them).

But I don't completely agree with this: Shoppers are going to shop (no matter how much time you give them).

I woud say: Shoppers are going to shop more if you give them more time.

I know many kids don't like to shop, but don't think for a minute that it applies to all kids. Some kids LOVE to shop! Mine will try to drag me into a shop any chance they get, and they've been to a Disney park at least once a year since 2007. I've learned to limit them to a fixed amount of spending money per visit. But first-timers...?

I also am not talking just the purchase of suveniers from gift shops. I'm talking about things like this:

Before: "It's really hot, let's ride splash mountain. Oh, but the line is an hour long. Well, let's grab a quick bite at Pecos Bill first and try again after lunch."

After: "It's really hot, but our FP+ for Splash Mountain isn't until 2pm. Let's take our time in an air conditioned restaurant and buy a big lunch while we wait."

I don't know, maybe I'm missing the mark with this idea. But my family and I thought we were pretty savvy FP users. That is until our last trip when they started enforcing the return time windows. Now we would often found ourselves either sprinting across the park to try to make the next FP time, or trying to find something to do for 15 minutes while we waited for that return time. That was the perfect time to slow down and grab an ice cream, or a churro, or a popcorn (ie. spend more money). I see this happening A LOT for first-timers who are trying to figure out how to not miss their next FP+ return time.

Remember, Disney spent a lot of money on this system. I'm sure this isn't the only way they will increase revenue by this change, but I gotta think it's part of it.

*** Spoiler Alert *** a little doom and gloom ahead ***
Unless there's still something we're missing (and there very well could be), Disney had to know that WDW veterans who have spent years perfecting their FP maximization strategies were going to HATE this FP+ idea. But I think they view that demographic as such a small part of their revenue stream, that they are willing to lose some good will there, and maybe completely lose a few loyal fans altogether. But you know what? There will be thousands more to replace us, as new parents start bringing their kids - parents who never knew there was an old version of FP. And they're going to LOVE FP+ (maybe because of marketing as much as anything else), and they're going to be the new die-hard fans who want to keep coming back.

Sorry, I'll stop talking about this now. Just my little opinion on something that we still know very little (officially) about.

 

[Missyrose]

*** Spoiler Alert *** a little doom and gloom ahead ***
Unless there's still something we're missing (and there very well could be), Disney had to know that WDW veterans who have spent years perfecting their FP maximization strategies were going to HATE this FP+ idea. But I think they view that demographic as such a small part of their revenue stream, that they are willing to lose some good will there, and maybe completely lose a few loyal fans altogether. But you know what? There will be thousands more to replace us, as new parents start bringing their kids - parents who never knew there was an old version of FP. And they're going to LOVE FP+ (maybe because of marketing as much as anything else), and they're going to be the new die-hard fans who want to keep coming back.

Sorry, I'll stop talking about this now. Just my little opinion on something that we still know very little (officially) about.

Totally agree. Disney knows there might be a subsection of its fan base that may hate the new system. But they've got nearly 2 billion reasons to make the guests who don't know any better love the "new World."

Me? I'll go back to Disney regardless and I'll figure out ways to make the new system work, the same way I did the old system.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

*** Spoiler Alert *** a little doom and gloom ahead ***
Unless there's still something we're missing (and there very well could be), Disney had to know that WDW veterans who have spent years perfecting their FP maximization strategies were going to HATE this FP+ idea. But I think they view that demographic as such a small part of their revenue stream, that they are willing to lose some good will there, and maybe completely lose a few loyal fans altogether. But you know what? There will be thousands more to replace us, as new parents start bringing their kids - parents who never knew there was an old version of FP. And they're going to LOVE FP+ (maybe because of marketing as much as anything else), and they're going to be the new die-hard fans who want to keep coming back.

Sorry, I'll stop talking about this now. Just my little opinion on something that we still know very little (officially) about.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

iI went online to check my reservation & a window popped up asking me if I wanted to sign up for MyDisneyExperience. I clicked "skip" for now until I figure this out more.

I went to see if mine did that and all my reservations are back to being "lost" and not connected to the new website.

 

[HelenParr]

I completely agree that WDW management is not losing sleep over the percentage of passholders that might drop out over My Magic stuff, but I doubt they had a real debate of who is expendable relative to level of hate for FP+/nextgen. Disney is unique, but it's still a corporate entity that does stuff like other giant corporations do. There's a level of Dilbertness, some group think, right along with imagination and planning.

There was likely some projected casualty assessment of lost dollars for non-adopters, but it is probably very "high level" meaning broad and tied to no data, i.e., there was a powerpoint slide that said something like: "we expect 4% non-adoption rate"

Management has made clear that the Board itself approved the NextGen spending and expansion, in 2011. A long, long time ago. They may not have told the Board yet -- but they are not going to see, and I doubt they expect, an independent $2B ROI on nextgen. They will functionally allocate how they upgraded systems that had to be upgraded, and try to tie increased park and resort sales (it doesn't matter what sales) to the upgrade.

 

[Sammie]

Staggs didn't say it, the LA Times writer did.

Thank you

 

[DougEMG]

*** Spoiler Alert *** a little doom and gloom ahead ***
Unless there's still something we're missing (and there very well could be), Disney had to know that WDW veterans who have spent years perfecting their FP maximization strategies were going to HATE this FP+ idea. But I think they view that demographic as such a small part of their revenue stream, that they are willing to lose some good will there, and maybe completely lose a few loyal fans altogether. But you know what? There will be thousands more to replace us, as new parents start bringing their kids - parents who never knew there was an old version of FP. And they're going to LOVE FP+ (maybe because of marketing as much as anything else), and they're going to be the new die-hard fans who want to keep coming back.

Totally agree here. People who maximized their FP usage are probably considered the enemy. Being one of those FP maximizers, I'm a little concerned over how much I'm going to be able to do in one day. I can't see any senario were having only 3 FP+ is going to get me on more rides with less waiting in standby line than I currently can do.