FP + What we know and what we want to know

[Cinderumbrella]

Well isn't that an interesting question. My guess is any FP+ reservations need a corresponding ticket linked to your reservation. It would be nice if I could book my FP+ with room reservation only, and then buy the actual ticket on site or later. I doubt it though, I am thinking the my Disney experience is going to be offering lots of ticket possibilities.

It has always been my sincere hope that simply a resort confirmation would be enough to schedule FP+ as we typically upgrade our tickets once on site (purchase a UT PH then upgrade to AP) but I sincerely doubt it will work this way.

I want to do it because it is cheaper, plain & simple.

Of course, Disney won't want me to do it, because they want me to pay full price for my AP.

I understand this logic and if I have to do "lose" my discount, so be it. Please just tell me so I can purchase my tickets one way or the other.

 

[Hedley]

It has always been my sincere hope that simply a resort confirmation would be enough to schedule FP+ as we typically upgrade our tickets once on site (purchase a UT PH then upgrade to AP) but I sincerely doubt it will work this way.

I want to do it because it is cheaper, plain & simple.

Of course, Disney won't want me to do it, because they want me to pay full price for my AP.

I understand this logic and if I have to do "lose" my discount, so be it. Please just tell me so I can purchase my tickets one way or the other.

Why not just buy your UT PH in advance, register it, schedule your FP+, go to a park entering with UT ticket, then go to customer service and upgrade to AP?

 

[bcrook]

I am sure this is on a lot of other threads. But the new DVC web site looks like the My Disney Experience app and web page. It is much improved. It doesn't include any friends and family. And I can't get to the parks and entertainment section.

And when I click on purchase tickets, it only gives me the annual pass option. I would have thought it would be at least offering me a magic your way ticket for the length if my stay. I don't want an AP.

 

[Hunclemarco]

Someone was talking about purchasing tickets. Rather than going for the AP, will they at some point offer MYW tickets longer than 10 days? We generally buy AP's, but many don't for a 2 week stay, once per year.

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[Cinderumbrella]

Why not just buy your UT PH in advance, register it, schedule your FP+, go to a park entering with UT ticket, then go to customer service and upgrade to AP?

In my personal case? My trip is 15 days long. IF one of the requirements to schedule FP+ for each day of your trip is to have a corresponding ticket length linked to your account in advance, then AP is the only way for me to do it since Disney doesn't sell a 15 day PH (to Americans).

For anyone else with a 7 day trip, purchasing a 7 day ticket from UT and then going back for a subsequent trip later and thus needing the AP? I think your scenario would work just fine.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Someone was talking about purchasing tickets. Rather than going for the AP, will they at some point offer MYW tickets longer than 10 days? We generally buy AP's, but many don't for a 2 week stay, once per year.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I doubt it. With the AP's being good for a whole year, what better incentive than to come back again (and again) before they expire? I myself am guilty of this in past years when SW offers a cheap flight and WDW has an exceptional AP rate for their resorts. I am sure Disney is banking on that with their American customers.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The tone and thoughtfulness of these posts are much more helpful. I can appreciate this type of discussion. I do think you are providing a great deal of insight in mymagic+. Thank you.

You're welcome - glad I'm adding something.

In truth, I've been posting a fair amount on the DIS iPhone app recently -- doesn't lend itself too well to loooong posts. Plus my sarcastic edge rears its head when I hear people discuss conjecture as facts. Put those two things together, and voila! See!! The possible side-effects of new technology... beware of iPhones AND FP+!!

He said for casual visitors, all they are going to remember is the personalized experience. He understands that my experience is going to be severely changed, but he pointed out that I am THE EXCEPTION! Everybody at the table was excited about getting together 60 days before the trip and planning what Food and Wine tickets we will purchase and choose some personalized experiences for the group. They were all very excited!!!

I'm with your friend... so far, anyway...

 

[Hedley]

In my personal case? My trip is 15 days long. IF one of the requirements to schedule FP+ for each day of your trip is to have a corresponding ticket length linked to your account in advance, then AP is the only way for me to do it since Disney doesn't sell a 15 day PH (to Americans).

For anyone else with a 7 day trip, purchasing a 7 day ticket from UT and then going back for a subsequent trip later and thus needing the AP? I think your scenario would work just fine.

15 days! Nice! Yeah, you would need an AP at the start.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

15 days! Nice! Yeah, you would need a AP at the start.

And this is my assumption as well, that I will need an AP from the start to get FP+ for all 15 days. But as I said before, it is cheaper for me to go the UT then upgrade onsite route. Until I know for certain how FP+ bookings will work, I am not pulling the trigger on purchasing anything yet.

 

[bjakmom]

All this talk of pre buying and registering tickets makes me wonder -has there been any talk of having to schedule FP+ times any more than 60 days in advance? We are so often now adding our Cali family to our trips in the last couple of months, depending on whether or not they can get time off, etc. That is my youngest family member and he has to plan much closer to the time of travel. Sometimes even 60 days out he doesn't know. That would make it difficult for extended families to tour together. And of course meeting up for a day with Florida friends and family becomes more difficult. I know you can say "don't use the FP+" but that doesn't make it much fun, does it, if one group has FPs and the other doesn't. Hmmmm... am I the only one with this scenario?

 

[Hedley]

And this is my assumption as well, that I will need an AP from the start to get FP+ for all 15 days. But as I said before, it is cheaper for me to go the UT then upgrade onsite route. Until I know for certain how FP+ bookings will work, I am not pulling the trigger on purchasing anything yet.

Not sure if this would work, but...how about buying 2 tix from UT that total 15 days or so, register them both, make 15 days worth of FP+ in advance, go to a park and upgrade one of the UT tix to an AP. Then, you'll have the other UT ticket to use on a future trip or apply to a future AP.

 

[js]

I have a question about pre-registering tickets.....

I am going with a group and we booked as a group.
SO....our group does not get the tickets UNITL we arrive onsite.
When I check in, I will be handed an envelope with everyone's tickets for each room. SO, if this is the case AND tickets have to be registered in order for me to prebook FP+ at 60 out, this would not lend itself to work for
Groups.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I have a question about pre-registering tickets.....

I am going with a group and we booked as a group.
SO....our group does not get the tickets UNITL we arrive onsite.
When I check in, I will be handed an envelope with everyone's tickets for each room. SO, if this is the case AND tickets have to be registered in order for me to prebook FP+ at 60 out, this would not lend itself to work for
Groups.

Exactly. Send Disney an email. I think the more they hear from everyone, the more they can come up with solutions to these things.

 

[finedice]

Been lurking here for a few days now, but in the end, I think this thread is getting a bit repetetive until we hear more official news and/or some first hand reports. It's unfortunate for those of us that have upcoming trips for this spring - but it will be what it will be.

IF all goes as projected here, then we will all just have to rely on the other strateies that we have employed along with FP-. RD, reduced use of FP, and strategies that employ zigging when the crowds are zagging are probably going to be the norm.

Park Hopping is seeming less attractive and has always been a must for my family. What we will be able to get out of it in the "New Disney World Order" is still to be determined. Being relegated to long lines in the evening is not something I look forward to.

 

[reelmom]

Interesting! We loved our universal day this trip, and for the cost of the 1 day park hooper we could have had 3 base days.

And if you have an AP, you can get a hotel room onsite with unlimited express pass for most rides for almost the same price as a Disney value room. The cost of my room at Universal is $164.00 a night. Not too bad.

 

[bcrook]

Been lurking here for a few days now, but in the end, I think this thread is getting a bit repetetive until we hear more official news and/or some first hand reports. It's unfortunate for those of us that have upcoming trips for this spring - but it will be what it will be.

IF all goes as projected here, then we will all just have to rely on the other strateies that we have employed along with FP-. RD, reduced use of FP, and strategies that employ zigging when the crowds are zagging are probably going to be the norm.

Park Hopping is seeming less attractive and has always been a must for my family. What we will be able to get out of it in the "New Disney World Order" is still to be determined. Being relegated to long lines in the evening is not something I look forward to.

And I think that is all a lot of us wanted to know. What is this going to look like for our upcoming trips. And your summary is what I am ready to accept. I totally get that the other bells and whistles are going to make everyone else thrilled to death.

There are a few more questions we are going to find out as soon as the first person gets to pick their advanced FP. Is it truly tiered and one e ticket per day? I guess I could be surprised by same day FP+.

Although I disagree about the lack of new ideas. I thought the teen perspective in all of this is important, that was a new topic today! . And I can't wait to see how the fastpicks work. If people are directed towards specific parks and if stitch is assigned as a FP! I can't wait for that. But, I can't believe Disney would that.

 

[bcrook]

And if you have an AP, you can get a hotel room onsite with unlimited express pass for most rides for almost the same price as a Disney value room. The cost of my room at Universal is $164.00 a night. Not too bad.

That is a very good price.

Another good thing about the changes coming from wdw... I have cut the cord. I know people are going to laugh at me, but I didn't know sea world and Busch gardens were connected. The 14 day prices for those parks are a fraction of Disney! I am excited about US now. I am a much more informed person because of all this. It is very liberating. I guess I can thank the mymagic+ for that.

My food and wine trip will be great no matter what happens because of the people I will be with.

 

[Planogirl]

I was comparing the ability to get a bunch of FPs to the old ride that your family loved, but which Disney felt was not getting used the way they thought it would. The new ride is the new fangled technology-driven full vacation experience which offers a handful of front-of-the-line passes for millions of guests who never knew they existed or maybe thought it was too complicated.

They had to get rid of the old ride to make room for the new one. Disney is sorry that you miss the old ride (the old fast pass system) but this is progress and this is going to make for great marketing for the first-timers.

Disney knew thousands would cry they changed the FP system. Just as they knew that thousand would cry when they replaced Mr Toad. But a few months later look how much people loved the new Pooh ride.

The new visitor didn't look at Pooh and say, it really sucks that they took out Mr Toad. They thought Pooh was awesome! They're going to think that the ability to ride a few rides with little to no wait as awesome!

I knew what you meant.

I guess that we'll see if that is true. We don't know much yet but it could become a situation where people ride a few rides with no wait and then spend an inordinate amount of time in other lines. Just because they don't know any different doesn't mean that they won't be turned off by lengthy lines.

But we will see. The trouble is that all of this is conjecture.

 

[Sammie]

Exactly. Send Disney an email. I think the more they hear from everyone, the more they can come up with solutions to these things.

I think that is a great idea. I don't think waiting till it is completely released is the time for us to share our questions.

 

[Sammie]

Well Sammie, I think it is a matter of opinion as to whether Disney FIXED dining reservations. I for one HATE the current system. It used to be that you could go to a park and manage to get a reservation at any restaurant. Sure, some booked quickly, but it was doable. Now, unless you are willing to make a priority seating at least a month out or more, you are not getting in. I tried in December about a week out for Mama Melrose, only to not be able to find a single dinner reservation.

It just amazes me how many people seem to blindly follow Disney and think that anything they do is wonderful. I am and have been a huge Disney fan since WDW opened. However, based upon many of the changes that have been occurring recently, my trips are becoming less and less magical. I used to never begrudge them the high park admission costs because the money went directly back into the upkeep of the parks. Take a look around now......broken rides, elements of attractions not working and never repaired (take a look at Splash Mountain), dirty restrooms. As for new attractions....sorry, but I am less than impressed with the New TT and the new Fantasyland. The architecture is great, however, Little Mermaid utilizes very dated technology.

I go 4 times a year, am an AP holder, and DVC. I don't plan my trips. The best I do is come up with a loose idea of what parks on what days. Once I get there, I usually meet up with CM friends, and my schedule goes out the window. With what I have heard about new FP+, I will now not be able to do much of anything if I can't book well in advance. In addition, I obviously won't be able to ride any of the attractions with my friends since they usually don't know schedules until a few days before.

I for one have been starting to spend more time at SW and US. Never thought I would say that. I hope Disney wakes up and realizes that they are going to lose guests who used to be very loyal.

As you said, it is all one's opinion of whether changes were favorable or not. For us the more we can plan before we leave home, the better I like it.

Just because one agrees with them does not mean anyone is following them blindly, they just happen to think the changes work. One could just as easily say it just amazes me how many people are critical of every change they make because it does not fit their personal touring style.

I do think when the experience becomes unenjoyable for someone that it is time to take a break from them. For us that has not happened.