FP + What we know and what we want to know

[WillAustin]

My guess is that those of us who want to ride the headliners more than once, would still need to get there early, get in SB, and the FP+ for later in the day

That will be our strategy to "maximize" the new system. Book the FP+ rides for the afternoon or evening, and then be at the front for rope drop, ride the headliners right away, then come back later for our reserved rides.

 

[Missyrose]

It's hard for me to figure out which direction Disney wants to go when it comes to queues. It would appear that queue-less queues (such as the new Dumbo) would be the queue of the future. But Disney keeps spending more money on interactive queues (Space, Winnie the Pooh, Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder), it feels as if the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is planning.

 

[mom2rtk]

That will be our strategy to "maximize" the new system. Book the FP+ rides for the afternoon or evening, and then be at the front for rope drop, ride the headliners right away, then come back later for our reserved rides.

So can we assume the late sleepers will also sleep late on FP+ reservation day and be stuck with all the early AM slots?

Cuz my plan is just like yours.

 

[WillAustin]

So can we assume the late sleepers will also sleep late on FP+ reservation day and be stuck with all the early AM slots?

Cuz my plan is just like yours.

We can hope. I've always had good luck booking ADRs as soon as we can do it. I'm hoping that luck will carry over to FP+.

 

[doconeill]

It's hard for me to figure out which direction Disney wants to go when it comes to queues. It would appear that queue-less queues (such as the new Dumbo) would be the queue of the future. But Disney keeps spending more money on interactive queues (Space, Winnie the Pooh, Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder), it feels as if the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is planning.

I think "queueless" queues like Dumbo are impractical to do at every attraction, as it requires equipment and personnel to manage it. Dumbo is one of the most popular attractions at WDW, so it warrants some attention.

I expect that they are expecting people to be waiting in lines more frequently again, which is why the "NextGen" queues were implemented - to keep people occupied on something other than staring at the same spot wondering how much time has passed.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I think "queueless" queues like Dumbo are impractical do do at every attraction, as it requires equipment and personnel to manage it. Dumbo is one of the most popular attractions at WDW, so it warrants some attention.

I expect that they are expecting people to be waiting in lines more frequently again, which is why the "NextGen" queues were implemented - to keep people occupied on something other than staring at the same spot wondering how much time has passed.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I posted a few pages back that I had read the Magic Bands would be tied to CC info and wondered about hacking possibilities since they're wirelessly scanned everywhere. I was told that was never the case and CC info wouldn't be tied to them, however, I just saw another article that mentions CC info being tied to them. I know there is very little anyone knows for certain, but I thought I'd share.

http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/travelkit/disney-world-track-visitors-wireless-wristbands-1B7874882

 

[Robo]

I posted a few pages back that I had read the Magic Bands would be tied to CC info and wondered about hacking possibilities since they're wirelessly scanned everywhere. I was told that was never the case and CC info wouldn't be tied to them, however, I just saw another article that mentions CC info being tied to them. I know there is very little anyone knows for certain, but I thought I'd share.

You need to know that the CC info is not "ON" the bands at all.

The bands just link to a Guest File where all of that info is stored.

If a thief were to clone the RFID on the band (or other card or RFID trinket) that RFID would
not contain any of the guests info. Just a number of a file that would only mean something
to the Disney computer system.

 

[SRUAlmn]

You need to know that the CC info is not "ON" the bands at all.

ETA: I just saw the rest of your post pop up. Thanks for the info. I get it now!

 

[Planogirl]

That will be our strategy to "maximize" the new system. Book the FP+ rides for the afternoon or evening, and then be at the front for rope drop, ride the headliners right away, then come back later for our reserved rides.

This is the opposite of what we have been doing. We always used both short lines and fastpasses in the morning, often left for a bit in the afternoon and then just relaxed in the evening. I'll have to rethink that I guess...

 

[WillAustin]

This is the opposite of what we have been doing. We always used both short lines and fastpasses in the morning, often left for a bit in the afternoon and then just relaxed in the evening. I'll have to rethink that I guess...

My kids have always wanted three rides on TSMM, and I won't wait in a long line. The only way we could get that done was grab a FP and then 2 standby rides immediately. After 3 everyone's arms are tired enough to make us stop.

 

[larryz]

I think "queueless" queues like Dumbo are impractical to do at every attraction, as it requires equipment and personnel to manage it. Dumbo is one of the most popular attractions at WDW, so it warrants some attention.

I expect that they are expecting people to be waiting in lines more frequently again, which is why the "NextGen" queues were implemented - to keep people occupied on something other than staring at the same spot wondering how much time has passed.

The next Disney innovation after "queueless queues" will be "rideless rides," and I believe the Legend of Jack Sparrow is just a prototype for that...

You'll walk up, tap your bracelet, and be instantly admitted to a large, dark room at the other end of which will be a large sign reading, "This Way to the Egress."

 

[mousermerf]

The next Disney innovation after "queueless queues" will be "rideless rides," and I believe the Legend of Jack Sparrow is just a prototype for that...

You'll walk up, tap your bracelet, and be instantly admitted to a large, dark room at the other end of which will be a large sign reading, "This Way to the Egress."

Years ago they created the line-ride, it's called the Swiss Family Treehouse.

Also.. once at Sea World on NYE I went into the shark area.. it had a 45min wait to get in.. it's literally just a walk through. Color me baffled.

 

[luvmyguyz]

FPs as they currently are administered will likely go away, but if they are replaced with same day FP+s, I don't have a problem.
Why wouldn't you simply relinquish your AK FP+s and see about getting some same-day FP+s for those Epcot rides? Sure, they may no longer be available, but that's exactly the same situation that you would be in with the old FP system.

I don't think this is necessarily true. As the FP system works now, if you get to any of the parks within the first two hours of it opening, you are almost guaranteed to get a FP for your favorite ride for use sometime before the park closes. (I've never gone to WDW on holiday weeks, so I don't know if this guarantee applies during the super peaktimes, but I have gone during extremely crowded weeks and was able to get Soarin FP after arriving at Epcot after 11 AM and TSMM FP as long as I got there by 10:30.) I say almost, because obviously this doesn't always apply if the ride is down for any length of time.

With FP+, there seems to be the possibility that FP for a super popular ride may be all gone months in advance, and getting one the day of, even if you arrive at RD, may no longer be possible.

My hope is that only a percentage of FP+ will be available in advance, and there will still be an opportunity (although somewhat diminished) to obtan FP for the most popular rides the day of. I am a planner, and will be online the second I am able to to book my FP+ choices, but it just doesn't seem fair for people who plan an impromptu visit to WDW to not be able to get a FP regardless of what time they show up at the park. And there have been plenty of times where we pulled a FP and then something came up and we weren't able to use that time slot, but instead got a different one for the same day. With the new system, this option seems unlikely.

I am also wondering why they decided to limit it to 3 FP+ per day, when it seemed like they were allowing 4 FP+ during the test phase. Hopefully, this is because they are trying to limit the number of pre-scheduld FP+ per day to enable people to get additional FP+ on the day they are at the park.

 

[luvmyguyz]

I was just going by the Terms mentioning that using FP+ meant you couldn't use standard FP. It implies that standard FP will be around temporarily.

How temporarily, we will have to see.

My next trip will be my first since the change to FP return time enforcement, so I'm already working out how much that impacts us. My youngest sibling is 16 so we did a lot of FP-running back in the day. Usually ended the night with a stash of spare FPs to hand out to random strangers we saw a few hours before the park closed. That was always fun to do.

Our last trip was our 1st with the return time enforcement, and honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal. It required a bit more planning to coordinate FP return times with ADRs and show times, but it worked out pretty well. The thing I think I will miss most is the ability to get FP for everyone in our group and then deciding not to use them for ourselves so the kids could ride their favorites twice in a row. YES, I am aware that this wasn't the way FP was intended to be used, but I still enjoyed being able to do it, and I'll miss it on our next trip. We got the Photopass+ and seeing the photos of my kids riding RnRC and EE three times in a row (and their varying expressions) just makes me smile.

 

[bcrook]

My hope is that only a percentage of FP+ will be available in advance, and there will still be an opportunity (although somewhat diminished) to obtan FP for the most popular rides the day of.

There has been much talk about this. It is a never ending circle of problems. If you save FP+ for day of guests, then there won't be any FP+ for the guests who log in at 10 days to book their FP+, because everybody before them has used up the "allotment" of the advance passes. That would most assuredly cause people to howl about the new Disney Experience. People would buy tickets in advance, link them to their My Disney Experience, and log in to book rides. Their choices are Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Buzz Ranger Spin, and maybe Little Mermaid. Then they could read a disclaimer that says, but "plenty of passes will be available the day of your visit if you get there early enough."

I am also wondering why they decided to limit it to 3 FP+ per day, when it seemed like they were allowing 4 FP+ during the test phase. Hopefully, this is because they are trying to limit the number of pre-scheduld FP+ per day to enable people to get additional FP+ on the day they are at the park.

Somebody gave a great example of how "extra" FP+ could be given out. You are standing in a 110 minute standby line at Space Mountain and you get a text from My Disney Experience. Click here for your bonus FP+ to Buzz Ranger Spin. No Waiting right now. We will be waiting for you. Then you leave the line, and head over. You scan your bracelet, and the CM says Hi, Barry, we have been waiting for you. Enjoy your ride.

There have been hints that people will get these bonus or "surprise" FP+ to move people around the park.

 

[DeaverTex]

What if the standby line turns into a line to get a reservation time? You'd put in your ticket or swish your bracelet or wriggle your nose or whatever, and a ticket for the ride would pop out with a return time. It would be the earliest return time possible, just like FP is right now, but you'd be in line to get your ride time. That wouldn't take as long because the transaction is much quicker than actually riding an attraction, making this line relatively short.

This would allow Disney to specify, to within some timeframe they chose, when guests would be using rides. That would smooth out the crowds, get rid of long lines, and keep people in the shops and restaurants, spending money.

Somebody want to explain why this wouldn't work? I'm not seeing the downside, but I'm bound to be missing something.

 

[Robo]

What if the standby line turns into a line to get a reservation time? You'd put in your ticket or swish your bracelet or wriggle your nose or whatever, and a ticket for the ride would pop out with a return time. It would be the earliest return time possible, just like FP is right now, but you'd be in line to get your ride time. That wouldn't take as long because the transaction is much quicker than actually riding an attraction, making this line relatively short.

This would allow Disney to specify, to within some timeframe they chose, when guests would be using rides. That would smooth out the crowds, get rid of long lines, and keep people in the shops and restaurants, spending money.

Somebody want to explain why this wouldn't work? I'm not seeing the downside, but I'm bound to be missing something.

Because you'd be putting so MANY guests into the "return line" between, say, 5:30 and 6:30, that they'd all be lined up waiting just like the regular standby line.

The reason that FP works is that they limit the number of FP's given out.

 

[Kimi313]

Don't get mad cause I haven't read the whole thread. But my question is how do y'all think the Fastpass+ will work with the whole or part of the group getting FP? Do you think I will be able to get FP+ for all the group or will each person have to get their own. Also I saw speculation there may be surprise FP given, would all four in my party get one or just me saying for our group? Just wondering what everyone is thinking.

 

[interstate70s]

Reserving rides months in in advance for a particular day seems kinda insane to me. I love planning but, c'mon. Thats pretty intense. We have reservations for the end of April for our kids first WDW trip. Since we live on the west coast they've been to DLR but not WDW. I trying to keep an open mind, and see what happens, but my DH and I are considering canceling the April trip and heading to DLR this summer instead, before they have a chance to change over to FP+ there as well (if the rumor is true that it will come there eventually also) Maybe it won't be bad, hopefully they'll roll out some more info soon. Maybe the regular FP will stay pretty much the same, and it will be just a cool bonus for those who like to uber plan.