FP+ Works Against Families

[GaryDis]

I'm sorry to rehash old arguments, but prior to FP+ you wouldn't have even needed a FP for most of those because lines were generally short. Hence why Fastpasses weren't offered for them. Now attractions with traditionally shorter lines have seen an increase in waits. BECAUSE of FP+

So where are those people coming from? If there are more people at one attraction, then either they're people who weren't there before (increased park attendance) or they're people who previously would have been at some other attraction.

 

[Mamato2cutekiddos]

My head is spinning but so far I hate the FP+ system and I haven't even been able to book. I am beyond frustrated that because we are staying off resort we only get to book at 30 days out- I understand that being able to book 60 days out is a benefit to staying on the resort- but some of us chose to stay off resort in order to make the vacation affordable, and be able to go at all. So I am sure, next week when I am able to book (finally) nothing will be left. I can't imagine this is what Walt would have wanted for his parks...

I can see what the OP is saying- if you get FP+ for A&E you might have to take the risk of only getting 2 spots instead of 3... and that means a parent will have to wait outside and miss out on seeing thier child meet a beloved character (or decide you will all wait in line together... which unfortunately is what we will end up doing...). It sucks. Same goes for riding a ride. If you have to split your party up, someone is going to miss out on the fun of riding with someone else (I understand this is a risk you take when traveling with young kids- I am speaking about things you CAN do with your kids. You run the risk of a- not using a FP+ at all or 2- breaking up your party. Both of which suck).

 

[ELSA711]

My beef about FP+ is similar. We often want to see attractions together and sometimes want to see things separately. MDE and FP+ make it hard to plan around time windows, like around 2pm I want 3 party members to go on BTMRR, and 3 others to go on Haunted Mansion. It is really geared toward everyone in the party doing all the same things at the same time. It's a lot of work to try to modify the schedule for one or some... and it might not work out and then you start all over. And please stop leaving 45 minute holes in my schedule! I cannot usually get in a line for another attraction in between. Yes, I know you think I will go shopping. Knock it off. Let me say start at 10am and give me 3 in the window from 10 to 2.

We had no problem getting back to back times and when our party was split we each had over lapping windows for what we wanted to do. We must have gone on a really good week.

 

[Mamato2cutekiddos]

My head is spinning but so far I hate the FP+ system and I haven't even been able to book. I am beyond frustrated that because we are staying off resort we only get to book at 30 days out- I understand that being able to book 60 days out is a benefit to staying on the resort- but some of us chose to stay off resort in order to make the vacation affordable, and be able to go at all. So I am sure, next week when I am able to book (finally) nothing will be left. I can't imagine this is what Walt would have wanted for his parks...

I can see what the OP is saying- if you get FP+ for A&E you might have to take the risk of only getting 2 spots instead of 3... and that means a parent will have to wait outside and miss out on seeing thier child meet a beloved character (or decide you will all wait in line together... which unfortunately is what we will end up doing...). It sucks. Same goes for riding a ride. If you have to split your party up, someone is going to miss out on the fun of riding with someone else (I understand this is a risk you take when traveling with young kids- I am speaking about things you CAN do with your kids. You run the risk of a- not using a FP+ at all or 2- breaking up your party. Both of which suck).

 

[JoshuaShaw]

So where are those people coming from? If there are more people at one attraction, then either they're people who weren't there before (increased park attendance) or they're people who previously would have been at some other attraction.

From an old post of mine:

The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean are two of the most popular attractions on the premises. The reason they generally lacked lines longer than 15 minutes is because they were efficient loaders and have a high rider capacity. Sure, the people who get a FP+ for these will still have a shorter wait, but before FP+ was introduced everyone had a shorter wait on these. In instances of these, FP+ is solving a problem that didn't exist.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-is-cramping-my-style.3433088/page-9#post-54142156

 

[Angel Ariel]

Maybe we could create a separate forum for FP+ complaints and keep this one for advice and ideas.

And FWIW, I have three kids with diverging interests, and sometimes we split up, and with a little planning, it's totally doable with FP+. It's also easy to change plans on the fly, except for the most popular rides, which I'm happy to have scheduled in advance so I don't have to worry about line lengths or what FP return time I might get.

The OP did actually ask for advice:

Anyone else have this sentiment? Any tips on balancing it out?

 

[GaryDis]

From an old post of mine:


http://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-is-cramping-my-style.3433088/page-9#post-54142156

I remember that post, but I don't understand how it's answering my question. What were the people who are waiting for HM now doing before FP+?

 

[tlmadden73]

It works great for some. Not so great for others.

Getting FP for a toddler is different to getting FP selections for a teen. When we changed our park on the day, we had to forfeit our booked 'good rides' at our original park for paltry choices at the one we decided to visit on the day. With the old system we would only have needed to get our buttes out of bed to be there at a reasonable hour around park opening to have as fair a shot at our choice of attractions as the guest standing next to us. Flexibility is not always there when you need it now.

So? You can STILL go on those rides you just may either have to get there at rope drop when standby lines or shorter or simply wait in line (like anyone else who doesn't have a FP). A FP isn't an "all or nothing" .. it is just a bonus you get with the cost of being a bit "inflexible" (like ANY reservation system).

Would you rather have the OLD system where only those who got to the park at the "reasonable" hour to get a Fast Pass (that isn't really a "fair shot" is it?)
OR
Would you have it so there is no Fast Pass system and everyone has their "fair shot" at an attraction? (Meaning everyone waits in the standby line)?

For me .. I never rode TSMM despite two visits to Hollywood Studios in the old "paper" days. Why? Because by the time I got to the park or by the time I made it over to that ride (I had no idea it was such a popular ride so I didn't make a mad dash there) .. the tickets were out .. or the return time was late in the day (during Fantasmic). So I CHOSE to not wait in the 90 minute line and did other things those days. Disappointed? Yes. But did it ruin my day there? Nope.

This time I KNOW I will get on that ride because I have prescheduled it. No worries .. no running to the ticket kiosk at rope drop .. no planning my day around the "mystery" time that the ticket kiosk will give me. I can walk in the park when I want .. and walk right onto that ride at a certain hour. Not flexible .. but a pretty nice perk for something that doesn't cost me extra. Now going with a family group (with toddlers) .. we know we will have little waits on one of the few rides at DHS that toddlers can enjoy. We can get to the park at a leisurely time and walk right up there.. with the 'flexibility' of an hour.

The FP is just a bonus .. if you choose to be flexible and switch your park days, so be it. You chose flexibility over skipping lines of a good ride. That was your choice.

Some like scheduling and knowing (many days in advance) that they WILL get to skip a line on a specific ride.
Some like flexibility.

I'd argue that more people like the ability to pre-schedule 3 line skips over the "flexibility" and having to run to a paper FP kiosk and change your schedule for the day on the fly to be able to come back at the designated time.

 

[HulkBuster]

I remember that post, but I don't understand how it's answering my question. What were the people who are waiting for HM now doing before FP+?

Waiting less.

 

[nilla]

For me, the only big problem is the tiering, though I understand why they have it.

 

[smiths02]

But before you had your choice of all rides, including headliners. Now if you choose another headliner, it will likely be by standby instead of FP. That's what I'm talking about.

And when your little chicken finally got brave and did Space and said "Let's go again" you really could grab another FP and go again.

Not really. We did Soarin' in 2011, it was just DS and me. We used a FP around 11am. He LOVED it. I believe there were either 1) NO FP left for the day or 2) the return time was 11pm or something crazy. Luckily, we had an "anytime" FP for another reason. Otherwise, we would not have gotten to ride it twice (with little wait) under legacy either.

I went into FP+ really scared. The thing I was scared about was the long waits on the less thrilling rides. TSMM, A&E, Peter Pan, Great Movie Ride, Jungle Cruise, and Winnie the Pooh are really the only rides that we saw that had lines that wouldn't have been worth waiting in on the "whole family" kind of rides/attractions. PotC was closed, but I never saw the fabled 60 minute waits for Haunted Mansion now that they added FP+
It was crowded, it was June, we never even tried for a 4th FP, we never waited in line.

 

[nilla]

Waiting less.

Why?

The only explanation would be that more people are getting FPs than did before. Otherwise, it should be a wash, IMO.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Why?

The only explanation would be that more people are getting FPs than did before. Otherwise, it should be a wash, IMO.

I think it's pretty much a given that more people are getting FPs than under legacy.

 

[2Tiggies]

Would you rather have the OLD system where only those who got to the park at the "reasonable" hour to get a Fast Pass (that isn't really a "fair shot" is it?)

Yep. That worked well for us for many years.

You chose flexibility over skipping lines of a good ride. That was your choice.

That's presumption on your part. I didn't allude to the reason why we changed park. It wasn't a choice. Sometimes things happen while on vacation.

 

[HulkBuster]

Why?

The only explanation would be that more people are getting FPs than did before. Otherwise, it should be a wash, IMO.

Because more people are getting more fast passes for haunted mansion then before.

- captain obvious

 

[mom2rtk]

Not really. We did Soarin' in 2011, it was just DS and me. We used a FP around 11am. He LOVED it. I believe there were either 1) NO FP left for the day or 2) the return time was 11pm or something crazy. Luckily, we had an "anytime" FP for another reason. Otherwise, we would not have gotten to ride it twice (with little wait) under legacy either.

I went into FP+ really scared. The thing I was scared about was the long waits on the less thrilling rides. TSMM, A&E, Peter Pan, Great Movie Ride, Jungle Cruise, and Winnie the Pooh are really the only rides that we saw that had lines that wouldn't have been worth waiting in on the "whole family" kind of rides/attractions. PotC was closed, but I never saw the fabled 60 minute waits for Haunted Mansion now that they added FP+
It was crowded, it was June, we never even tried for a 4th FP, we never waited in line.

I already said Soarin and TSMM were probably exceptions to what I was talking about. I just don't think there was any need to blow up the old system over 2 rides. YMMV.

We were there in early June. We waited 30 minutes for IASW. My husband and daughter waited 45 minutes for Buzz lightyear. There were lots of very long lines.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

I remember that post, but I don't understand how it's answering my question. What were the people who are waiting for HM now doing before FP+?

Sorry, didn't mean to seem obtuse. Essentially, it boils down to loading efficient rides less efficiently. Obviously, this isn't the case across the board, but for a lot of high-capacity rides (like the majority of the ones I previously quoted) it is.

I've said many times before that I don't find FP+ to be absolutely terrible. I don't think it's the best system they could implement and it's not my first choice, but it doesn'thas not yet single-handedly ruined my trips. That said, I don't think it should have been used as a blanket solution to every attraction. It's like trying to cure every form of cancer (which I am very grateful I don't have) with the same treatment.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think part of what the OP is running into is that feeling when you actually sit down to plan/book FPs and it hits you how convoluted FP+ is. I feel like that with the tiered parks.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I remember that post, but I don't understand how it's answering my question. What were the people who are waiting for HM now doing before FP+?

Could have been somewhere else or maybe just opting not to ride them at all. Now with FP+ there are all these options for skipping lines at amazing things like fireworks, parades and Figment so someone is going to take a FP+ for something they might not have ever done before because they have to take something and it's their.

If there are three options including SM, PP and getting hit with a stick with limited availability eventually someone's going to have to pick getting hit with a stick.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think part of what the OP is running into is that feeling when you actually sit down to plan/book FPs and it hits you how convoluted FP+ is. I feel like that with the tiered parks.

I agree. It's the most different part about it, for us anyway. We *never* pre-planned what order we were going on to rides before, much less contemplated who was going on what rides. We showed up and we toured by land, making these decisions as we went, based on "on the ground" information we had as we were touring (weather, wait times, appetites, tiredness level, etc). Going from that to planning out times for *any* rides (and who will ride them) takes a lot of adjustment.

I know the response will be "it's only 3 rides" - but, TBH, it isn't really (for us). One of the biggest mistakes I made last year was thinking that, and I didn't take into account what order I was planning the FP+ for when I booked them. That caused us to do way more backtracking than we ever have on previous trips. To minimize the backtracking, for us anyway, it requires the accompanying thinking of what order we're touring the park in (land-wise) - are we starting in Tomorrowland and working around the Hub to Adventureland, or vice versa? (as an example) - which is another step in preplanning that we never used to do. We used to make that decision as we walked down Main Street.

I tried to do the touring plan schedule thing once when it was just DH and I, and he nearly mutinied. It wasn't a touring style that worked for us, so we stopped and never had any intention of going back to it. FP+ came along though and Disney has different ideas. We're aware we could choose to go FP-less, however, we also know the consequence of said choice and that's worse (for us). So we deal with it. But it still isn't' a touring style that is comfortable for us.