FP + What we know and what we want to know

[mousermerf]

Except that there's nothing to keep the superusers from tying up more time in the standby line now, potentially making them longer. Or is Disney installing facial recognition software to deny them entry into the standby line now?

They wait in the standby when it's short in the morning. That's going to be gone. In one hour that's about 2000 guests for major rides. They'll be directed away from arriving early just for short-rides because there's no FP to be had early morning and there's no short line due to FP+ being issued for that time period.

2000 is a significant number in the operation of an attraction.

 

[mom2rtk]

They wait in the standby when it's short in the morning. That's going to be gone. In one hour that's about 2000 guests for major rides. They'll be directed away from arriving early just for short-rides because there's no FP to be had early morning and there's no short line due to FP+ being issued for that time period.

2000 is a significant number in the operation of an attraction.

So you think they're just going to go away and be happy with their one ride? I'm not so sure about that. I think they're going to be grumping their way through the standby lines. What else are they going to do? They apparently will have only 3 FPs of their own to use. And they know how to work the system, so they won't be the ones in the FP line at 9 AM. They will have those much coveted afternoon and evening slots for the headliners.

 

[mousermerf]

So you think they're just going to go away and be happy with their one ride? I'm not so sure about that. I think they're going to be grumping their way through the standby lines. What else are they going to do? They apparently will have only 3 FPs of their own to use. And they know how to work the system, so they won't be the ones in the FP line at 9 AM. They will have those much coveted afternoon and evening slots for the headliners.

But only 3 instead of 6...

 

[WishnDisney]

And of course, as soon as I posted that last bit and walked away from the computer, I suddenly had visions dancing in my head of ATM-type kiosks scattered throughout the parks & resorts, and probably the DME desk at the airport, where you can scan your MagicBand and enter your PIN to:
(re-)activate your band
Check park days left on your ticket
Check dining plan meal entitlements
Make/check/modify ADRs
Schedule/reserve other activities
Check your room charge balance, and...
Make/check/modify Fastpasses +

I kind of hope that this is how it shakes out, but it may make too much sense.

Okay, so why am I finding this kind of interesting...we are going space age to get into a park to see Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, things like the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. Now, I know...this really is all a blend of new and old (nods to the past, futureland, etc. I think I must be very tired...

Lynne

 

[mom2rtk]

But only 3 instead of 6...

Yes, but they're not going to just stop riding when their fastpasses are over. They are going to clog up the standby lines. And if that's too frustrating, I will just be done. I'm sure Disney won't care. But I'll be done. So I guess THEN the standby lines can thin out.

 

[js]

So you think they're just going to go away and be happy with their one ride? I'm not so sure about that. I think they're going to be grumping their way through the standby lines. What else are they going to do? They apparently will have only 3 FPs of their own to use. And they know how to work the system, so they won't be the ones in the FP line at 9 AM. They will have those much coveted afternoon and evening slots for the headliners.

I'm trying to get all though these threads to learn as much as I can since I am going with a group of about 20 in March and then leaving my family at home end of August and just going with my mother but I have a question for what you posted, since I think you are talking about what I thought I "should" do for my August trip (since March is with a bunch of HS baseball boys who will not make RD).

I am a RD person and my family does RD so we can max out our rides in the morning and get everything done we want to do. I use to be a FP hoarder so would ride the attractions in the morning, keep our FPs and return at night to use them or after lunch/dinner. Now, if I can go online and choose when I want my 3 FP+, I can choose them for later in the day for the headliners and ride them twice. Is this what you are referring to since this is what I think I plan on doing in the future.

Also, it could help me too since my kids are now older teens (15 & 19) who sometimes don't even go any longer or if they do, they don't want to do RD for their full vacation. If this is the case, I can also just get FP+ for later in the day for the E ticket rides and just go with the flow and use my app to see what doesn't have a long line while in the park. We own DVC and an Orlando T/S so we never feel the need to do everything on one trip.

Would this FP+ benefit me the way I am describing?

Also, what is nextgen or something like that I read a few times? Is this something else I need to know?

Hope the roll out starts sooner rather than later so we can start seeing some reports come back here.

 

[mousermerf]

I'll just give that post a :-/ and note people have questioned why Disney would change the rules..

 

[1971DBday]

For all of the "go with the flow" DISers..... I have a headache! I don't want to plan like this....,

 

[mom2aandj]

They wait in the standby when it's short in the morning. That's going to be gone. In one hour that's about 2000 guests for major rides. They'll be directed away from arriving early just for short-rides because there's no FP to be had early morning and there's no short line due to FP+ being issued for that time period.

2000 is a significant number in the operation of an attraction.

What I still wonder about is whether those people with 9-10 am Fast pass reservations will all actually show up, on time, in order to use them. It's still the same old "getting up early on vacation" issue. I can totally see Disney getting first timers to sign up for those slots; easy enough to do. But I still don't think they'll all show up. I guess we'll see.

 

[bas71873]

For all of the "go with the flow" DISers..... I have a headache! I don't want to plan like this....,

Amen!

 

[jade1]

What I still wonder about is whether those people with 9-10 am Fast pass reservations will all actually show up, on time, in order to use them. It's still the same old "getting up early on vacation" issue. I can totally see Disney getting first timers to sign up for those slots; easy enough to do. But I still don't think they'll all show up. I guess we'll see.

I agree. We will try to get later in the day FP+. I think first thing in the AM will still be a pretty good time to get things done, and partly as you say-some (maybe many) folks won't show up. Wait and see is correct.

 

[bcrook]

Yep, it seems like it might be coming faster than we all expected.
Ugh...looks like I need to start adding a profile for all 120 guests we have coming for DD's wedding to my account just in case we might want to get a FP+ for some of those guests. This is not going to be fun!

I agree about that faster than we expected part. Let us know how the 120 guest management works. I am not comfortable with my 7 accounts. But maybe you will find it to be easier than expected. You will have plenty of practice. Good Luck!

sorry if this has been covered but the thread is so long. How do you know if you are eligible to try the FP+? How have people been notified? just want to be sure I'm not missing something.
Thanks in advance

I don't know if this was answered, but the roll out schedule hasn't been announced. Eventually everyone who wants to do this will be able to. Everyone must get on the feed.

As appealing as it is to think about having a FP for parades and fireworks, once people realize they will be taking these in leiu of ride FPs, I think it will be a much tougher sale. So far this concept has only been tested in a vacuum........ with no downside.

As intriguing as the ideal location for parades and fireworks sound, I can't imagine using one at MK or Hollywood Studios. Maybe at Epcot for Illuminations. But there is no reason to burn one at Animal Kingdom for the Parade.

 

[bcrook]

I expect that only a portion of existing FP slots will be given over to FP+ to start, in proportion to the audience it is available to and the percentage of those willing to be the guinea pigs for the rest of us.

As time goes on, that portion will increase, until it is 100% and FP goes away.

Is this the same thing as saying that only a portion of FP slots will be taken over by the FP+ because there will be a limited number of people using FP+. Do you think someone switching over to FP+ would be denied a TSMM FP+ because an allotment is gone (and then that person is told to rush to the park at RD to grab one?) I just can't imagine that ever being a scenario. Talk about infuriating people.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

No, they can't.

Here is the thing - they can't control who goes in the standby line. So they can't really take slots from there. There aren't really slots to take.

They can increase the number of FP/FP+ slots issued, and HOPE it keeps people out of the standby line. But they can't force it.

In most cases, they also can't increase the capacity of the attraction, so they can't increase the number of FP/FP+ slots and hope to handle the same standby volume.

And word on the street is that they've already recalculated and increased the number of Fastpass slots, with the idea they will be converted to FP+ slots.

This exchange makes me think of the "deli-style" line they had for Dumbo. I haven't seen it yet, so maybe someone here can comment. But what if people arriving for stand-by were given a pager like at Olive Garden or something so the guests riding SB felt like they have a ressie and they can just mill around and shop, etc. until they are called, at which time it's just a short line. At the end of the day, they could close off a line and just say they are out of slots.... I'm not saying I would like it, but it would be about guest perception rather than an actual change in the experience.

 

[doconeill]

Is this the same thing as saying that only a portion of FP slots will be taken over by the FP+ because there will be a limited number of people using FP+. Do you think someone switching over to FP+ would be denied a TSMM FP+ because an allotment is gone (and then that person is told to rush to the park at RD to grab one?) I just can't imagine that ever being a scenario. Talk about infuriating people.

I think there will be a limited number, yes, pretty much how it will be in the end when everyone has access to it. However, I also think that the number of people using it, and using it effectively, will be less than the "ideal" number anyways, so it may work well for BOTH early adopters, who get what they want, and the regular FP-ers, assuming untaken slots go back into the pool.

Talk about it infuriating people when FP+ is only available to a limited number of people, but it is enough to eat up all the slots, and NO ONE can get them at the park...

 

[bcrook]

I'll just give that post a :-/ and note people have questioned why Disney would change the rules..

The idea that someone could FP Splash Mountain twice in one day does not sound evil, abusive, sneaky, greedy, or immoral. That is one of the things we are losing.

Taking care of the median customer sounds great. But was the median customer demanding change? Was there an overwhelming outcry that people complained about the way things were? Was attendance at the parks decreasing? I don't think so.

These changes are not based on customer service and making the experience better. It is based on a wide range of accounting moves. We are seeing glimpses coming from all directions. One of those things is to create demand for FP+ so they can be used as incentives. This is why we will be limited to 3, and then they will dole out the rest as gifts (or as Nick Franklin says "surprise and delight")

 

[bcrook]

I think there will be a limited number, yes, pretty much how it will be in the end when everyone has access to it. However, I also think that the number of people using it, and using it effectively, will be less than the "ideal" number anyways, so it may work well for BOTH early adopters, who get what they want, and the regular FP-ers, assuming untaken slots go back into the pool.

Talk about it infuriating people when FP+ is only available to a limited number of people, but it is enough to eat up all the slots, and NO ONE can get them at the park...

Yes that will be a problem.

 

[doconeill]

This exchange makes me think of the "deli-style" line they had for Dumbo. I haven't seen it yet, so maybe someone here can comment. But what if people arriving for stand-by were given a pager like at Olive Garden or something so the guests riding SB felt like they have a ressie and they can just mill around and shop, etc. until they are called, at which time it's just a short line. At the end of the day, they could close off a line and just say they are out of slots.... I'm not saying I would like it, but it would be about guest perception rather than an actual change in the experience.

Actually, as I understand it, that's how they are doing it at Dumbo now (haven't seen it yet myself). Apparently you are given the choice of getting in line now, or getting a short-range pager and wait for your slot while the kids play in the play area or whatever it is. Not really sure how they work the lines that way. And now sure how they supposedly worked Fastpass into it as well...it would be like managing three lines, and it's hard enough to manage two

It isn't really practical for most rides though...it requires space, something for the guests to do while waiting, and more staff - the latter of which is something Disney really doesn't want to do...

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Actually, as I understand it, that's how they are doing it at Dumbo now (haven't seen it yet myself). Apparently you are given the choice of getting in line now, or getting a short-range pager and wait for your slot while the kids play in the play area or whatever it is. Not really sure how they work the lines that way. And now sure how they supposedly worked Fastpass into it as well...it would be like managing three lines, and it's hard enough to manage two

It isn't really practical for most rides though...it requires space, something for the guests to do while waiting, and more staff - the latter of which is something Disney really doesn't want to do...

That's what I was wondering - how they will manage it. You will have hoards of people - we call them gate lice at the airport - crowding around the entrance waiting for their turn - and not letting the buzzer people and FP people get through when it is legitimately their turn. I could see it happening though. Like the new interactive area at HM - what if people just spread out around there and took turns playing with the various things?

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Just saw this article and thought it adds more thoughts to this thread - I think the question of how the FP+ will affect the GAC users has come up before - this is a DISunplugged article: http://www.disunplugged.com/2013/01/16/guest-assistance-cards-vs-fastpass-let-the-battle-begin/