Guest Test of Magic Bands (Official Notice)

[mom2rtk]

Completely agree with this post... One of my main concerns was having to pre determine what park for what day. ADR currently helps with that determination. Even at 180 days flexibility is necessary for certain places. BOG for example... I'm guessing FP+ will further help make that determination. TSMM gone on Monday but available Tuesday. I guess it's DHS on Tuesday. Just hope ADRs booked 4 months prior fit the plan!

That's a good point. In some ways, it would almost be better to just go ahead and set up both systems with the same window. Because once you get to 60 days, if you don't get the FPs you want, it's really hard to juggle park days since most of the hard to get ADRs are gone.

 

[andrewilley]

That's a good point. In some ways, it would almost be better to just go ahead and set up both systems with the same window. Because once you get to 60 days, if you don't get the FPs you want, it's really hard to juggle park days since most of the hard to get ADRs are gone.

I'd suggest setting both of them to 30 days to be honest. I still maintain that long-range ADR booking has not, in 20/20 hindsight, been a good thing (well, good for the type-A DISers maybe, but not in general terms). And the same goes for long-range FPs.

Andre

 

[d1gitman]

personally i see a large portion of guest either not using FP+, just like many do not currently use FP. Also, i think there will be a large portion that just go with the flow on what the kiosk shows them. I think us DIS'rs are looking at this too closely as current superusers of FP and as experienced planners. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of guests are what we classify as 'rookies'. if there aren't a high percentage of 'rookies', they why are there loads of people who stand in lines for hours?

as much as us DIS'rs know it all, we are still a minority with regards to the guest population at the parks.

i think that that the 'rookies' will be teh balancing factor just as it is now.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'd suggest setting both of them to 30 days to be honest. I still maintain that long-range ADR booking has not, in 20/20 hindsight, been a good thing (well, good for the type-A DISers maybe, but not in general terms). And the same goes for long-range FPs.

Andre

I understand the sentiment, but Disney phones can't handle that. I've done ADRs at 180 days, and I've done them at 90. At 90 it was a crazy mess at 7 AM eastern. It used to be that the only system was a reasonable alternative and came with a 1 hour headstart. But I'm to impressed with what I've seen from the new MDE site. That was a step back.

But when I plan a trip once year, it's important for me to eat at the handful of places that we enjoy most. At 30 days out, my odds would be severely curtailed. And I just don't think the Disney systems can handle it.

personally i see a large portion of guest either not using FP+, just like many do not currently use FP. Also, i think there will be a large portion that just go with the flow on what the kiosk shows them. I think us DIS'rs are looking at this too closely as current superusers of FP and as experienced planners. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of guests are what we classify as 'rookies'. if there aren't a high percentage of 'rookies', they why are there loads of people who stand in lines for hours?

as much as us DIS'rs know it all, we are still a minority with regards to the guest population at the parks.

i think that that the 'rookies' will be teh balancing factor just as it is now.

I really hope you're right.

I actually think that as this rolls out, participation will be on the low end (as is apparently the case with the current test), resulting in all sorts of "I told you so's" from the big supporters here. But I want to wait and see how it is 6 months to a year after full rollout. I think that will give us a better idea.

 

[rastuso]

Hasn't Disney said they will assign FP+s if you don't choose them, if you're a resort guest?

That is a huge part of the system, imho. If that wasn't the case, I'd be a bit less worried, but even so, FP+ locks you in. If you had scheduled AK on a day that ends up rainy, you're losing your Everest and Kali, and Safari FP+. That day is shot. You either don't go and lose the FP+, and likely never get to ride those rides that trip, or go and be soaked all day, because you can't switch that day with an Epcot day, where all the rides are inside.

Jason

 

[dayvewc]

I actually think that as this rolls out, participation will be on the low end (as is apparently the case with the current test), resulting in all sorts of "I told you so's" from the big supporters here. But I want to wait and see how it is 6 months to a year after full rollout. I think that will give us a better idea.

I'm thinking 2 to 3 years out when the "once a year" crowd starts returning with experience.

 

[WillAustin]

Hasn't Disney said they will assign FP+s if you don't choose them, if you're a resort guest?

That is a huge part of the system, imho. If that wasn't the case, I'd be a bit less worried, but even so, FP+ locks you in. If you had scheduled AK on a day that ends up rainy, you're losing your Everest and Kali, and Safari FP+. That day is shot. You either don't go and lose the FP+, and likely never get to ride those rides that trip, or go and be soaked all day, because you can't switch that day with an Epcot day, where all the rides are inside.

Yes, they have said they will pick FP+s for you if you don't want to pick. I'm sure every package reservation process will include a pre-selected set of FP+s, supposedly based on the ages and preferences of your group. Then you'd have the option to pick your own instead.

In your rainy day scenario, you could switch to Epcot on that day before you used your first FP+, but I'd be very surprised if Soarin' and Test Track FP+s were available.

 

[Planogirl]

Hasn't Disney said they will assign FP+s if you don't choose them, if you're a resort guest?

That is a huge part of the system, imho. If that wasn't the case, I'd be a bit less worried, but even so, FP+ locks you in. If you had scheduled AK on a day that ends up rainy, you're losing your Everest and Kali, and Safari FP+. That day is shot. You either don't go and lose the FP+, and likely never get to ride those rides that trip, or go and be soaked all day, because you can't switch that day with an Epcot day, where all the rides are inside.

Jason

Good point. Plus there might be days when you don't feel well or you're just plain tired. We've switched things around under those circumstances but it will likely be more difficult with FP+.

 

[suyama]

I can very much understand the comparison between BOG and FP for Splash Mt. BUT, I think for us, that is still a game breaker. Usually, we wont wait more than 30 mins for a ride, I think on our last 2 week trip we waited 45 for Everest, but my wife almost killed me Generally, we go early, we grab a FP, hit another major, without a big wait in stand by, then either head to our FP ride, or hit a second major THEN head to our FP, ... grab another FP for a major, hit some smaller rides, lunch, then back to the resort.

This is where I thought FP+ would be great, we could book 3 majors, sleep in, hit the park in the afternoon and ride FP ... except, all those other things I said after more thought, realizing it would take one bump in the plans and suddenly all those FP+ plans would be thrown off.

Its true that if we don't have FP+ for a major, we COULD wait standby, and 30 mins, doesn't sound TOO bad, still a little bad, but when the lines hit 90 mins, 110 mins, (SM was at 110 last night), we wouldn't do it. And if we don't get to do the rides, we wont enjoy Disney, and if we aren't going to enjoy it, there is no point in going. Waiting 60 or 90 mins for a ride would actually be worse then simply skipping it, which is why we would just skip it.

Like I said, maybe Disney is going to figure this out, and find a balance between FP+ and FP or Stand by. But by the -sounds- of things right now, it doesn't look that way. AND, the people testing it, aren't going to notice these major failures because the trial system does not expose them, it can't.

I completely agree with you. We've made 4 trips to WDW and DL and don't think we've ever waited in line for an attraction for more than 30 minutes because we use fastpasses and RD. If FPP forces us to wait in lines in order to do attractions, then I think our Disney days are over.

 

[andrewilley]

Yes, they have said they will pick FP+s for you if you don't want to pick.

I do hope that bit has been misunderstood, as that's an utterly ludicrous way to clog up all the available slots with guests who are never going to use them.

Andre

 

[doconeill]

Hasn't Disney said they will assign FP+s if you don't choose them, if you're a resort guest?

Yes, they have said they will pick FP+s for you if you don't want to pick.

I'm not aware of selections being FORCED on you, which what this sounds like.

I know that if you go to the site, you are supposed to be given a recommended set of selections. Originally, this was to be based on your profile having information on things like how much you like thrill rides, etc. but that hasn't appeared on the live site. But anyways, they are a suggestion and you can select it, or choose your own.

As far as I know, you are free not to choose at all, and leave it "open", and then choose from the dregs left over

 

[doggydoc]

We're all entitled to express our opinions, and should also expect that when we do, others might comment back wrt that opinion. Doesn't scare me... glad it doesn't you either...

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

No I do not have to expect derision based on my opinions. You are more than welcome to present refutation and counter with your own opinions but to deride the opinions of others is not acceptable and I believe against board guidelines. It is certainly what has led to closure of so many previous FP+ threads.

 

[mom2rtk]

I do hope that bit has been misunderstood, as that's an utterly ludicrous way to clog up all the available slots with guests who are never going to use them.

Andre

I do think they will be trying to assign "quick picks" for people. I just think a lot of folks will end up not showing up for them. Eventually Disney will have enough data to overbook based on their experience of the rate of no-shows. But I sure don't want to be there until they work out these sorts of kinks.

 

[WillAustin]

I'm not aware of selections being FORCED on you, which what this sounds like.

No, not forced on you, but like mom2rtk mentioned, suggested quick picks that would be just one click away. I don't expect too many people to be opting out of this once it's in full operation and built into the reservation process and made very easy.

Even if people aren't wanting to lock in on a planned park in advance, I can imagine a number of people will take the FP+s anyway, "just in case".

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

No I do not have to expect derision based on my opinions. You are more than welcome to present refutation and counter with your own opinions but to deride the opinions of others is not acceptable and I believe against board guidelines. It is certainly what has led to closure of so many previous FP+ threads.

I agree with you. It's not derision to share the general opinion that people are overreacting to something that doesn't exist yet. That's the worst I've seen - at least from that side of the "debate".

-----

Before I predict that my next trip with FP+ will almost certainly be horrible, I'm waiting for more official info. Which is why I looked at this thread - about an actual test.

Since the testers have shared their valuable info with us here, I guess I'm done until the next actual info surfaces. Unsubscribing - au revoir!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Ela1972]

QUESTION FOR ANY TESTERS OF MAGIC BAND;

What kind of time slot could you pick, was it an hour, half hour and did you have to have a gap between the time slots or could you pick 10-11 and then 11-12.



On a separate note our last vacation April this year I ended up with 6 different reservation numbers given by CM's with over 20 phone calls and I still couldn't book anything online as the system would not recognise my UK reservation numbers even though it was all booked online through Disney themselves so how could I imagine booking fastpasses?

 

[Disneychix]

This thread is making me thankful that my kids really really enjoy pool time just as much as being in the parks!

Looks like we'll be doing lots of swimming and less rides...

 

[snykymom]

What maybe hasn't been factored in is the increase in the amount of attractions that will have FastPass+ compared to the current crop. If they keep the admission ratios as at present (at peak times, say 10 FastPass guests per 1 regular line guest) then this will hugely increase the standby wait times on attractions for which we don't normally expect long waits (Pirates, Small World, etc) until they reach the "bail" point where people just don't bother joining the line.


Andre

This is exactly my concern - not only for rides that don't usually have long waits. For rides that do often have long waits, the waits will only get longer. I was recently on standby for Space Mountain, during Value season. The "wait time" was 30 minutes. I finally got on the ride 1 hr 45 minutes later, because of the "admission ratio." That is unacceptable to me - if you're going to do that kind of ratio, at least let the wait times reflect it. But the wait times still show as if there were few to no FP riders.

If they change the admissions ratio so that the standby line actually moves (which is what Disney was so good at originally - lines that rarely stopped because multiple lines snaked into each other, and thus felt shorter), the limitation of 3 FP+ may not be so bad. If not, after seeing for myself, then the other posters are right - I'll spend my money elsewhere.

Without Haunted Mansion or Pirates with a predictably reasonable line, what else would one do to fill the time between headliner FP times?

What Disney wants you to do - shop & eat.

 

[snoopy352]

surprised that after reading 43 pages of this thread i have not seen anyone make the point that an acceptable scenario would be 3 FP+ at epcot, DHS, and AK but FIVE FP+ at MK. Three is simply not enough at MK, where it could be acceptable at the other parks.

 

[Robo]

surprised that after reading 43 pages of this thread i have not seen anyone make the point that an acceptable scenario would be 3 FP+ at epcot, DHS, and AK but FIVE FP+ at MK. Three is simply not enough at MK, where it could be acceptable at the other parks.

Just being able to "get" 3 FP's (or 5 at MK) doesn't address the issue of WHICH 3 (or 5) FP's might be available when so many guests will be clamoring for the very top E-tickets... at the very most
desirable times.