Help! Scared of FP+! Can't we just go and have fun?

[zanydoc]

Hi! We are headed to Disney World this Saturday from Colorado and haven't been in 2 years. I was used to just going to the individual rides and getting the fast passes there. We are staying at the Swan, which I gather from reading the boards you can only do the FP+ the day of. I'm not really sure what this means exactly. Can someone please explain what this "day of" stuff means and are we going to be able to ride any rides? What about just good old fashioned lines? Are they still really long or has everyone fastpassed out?

 

[DVCcurious]

No, you can not go and have fun. Having fun is forbidden now.

When you show up at the parks you can go to a FP+ reservation kiosk (Townsquare Theatre is your best bet). There you can sign up for 3 FP+ options.

That's it for Fastpass, the days of going to a ride and getting a paper fast pass are over. You can still wait in the standby line with the rest of the riff-raff if you want. But you can no longer have 8 fast pass rides each day.

 

[lugnut33]

You will plan your vacation and like it!!

 

[Robo]

When you show up at the parks you can go to a FP+ reservation kiosk

(Townsquare Theatre is your best bet).

That's OK for MK, but the OP (zanydoc) didn't mention which park(s.)

In general, at all parks, stopping at a FP+ kiosk "off the beaten path" is a good choice
for finding shorter lines.

 

[agavegirl1]

"Good old fashioned lines" are still available for every attraction. Or, as the My Disney Experience website will tell you, "Standby Available". You are starting your trip on a Saturday, can you postpone Magic Kingdom to a weekday?

Yes, you can obtain advance ride reservations via FP+ at the kiosks when you are in the park. If you have a "must do", get there early and reserve a time (if available).

There is a lot of information on touring effectively using the new program but if you just want to go and have fun without all the planning, make use of arriving early and hitting your favorites first.

 

[chrismb22]

Yes you can ignore all the hype and enjoy yourself. Think back to the days before fast pass, fastpass + or anything. You still had fun? Vacation is what you will make of it -- and if you sit there thinking "I can't do this because I don't have this" or whatever, no you won't enjoy yourself.

Don't stress over it. Whatever happens, you are still in Disneyworld!!

 

[bastos]

Don't be so scared of fast passes. They're fun.

Instead, be way more scared of the lines.

I still remember in 2009, walking by a group of people waiting in the line for Splash Mountain on a SUPER hot day. We had REALLY used the fast passes - and a child swap - to a great advantage that day. My two older daughters were riding it for the fourth time. We walked by a group, and the man said, "Those fast passes are just a SCAM! It's just a way to get you to spend more money in the GIFT SHOPS!"

As we spent under $100 between our three kids on souvenirs on the trip, I chuckled to myself.

If you WANT to wait more in line, please do. But something tells me you might miss out.

 

[Robo]

Don't be so scared of fast passes. They're fun.

Instead, be way more scared of the lines.

I still remember in 2009, walking by a group of people waiting in the line for Splash Mountain on a SUPER hot day. We had REALLY used the fast passes - and a child swap - to a great advantage that day. My two older daughters were riding it for the fourth time. We walked by a group, and the man said, "Those fast passes are just a SCAM! It's just a way to get you to spend more money in the GIFT SHOPS!"

I'd be right there with you on that opinion if it were not that FP+ only offers guests 3 FP+ a day.
The rest of the time, everyone gets to stand in those long lines.

They ruined FP.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'd be right there with you on that opinion if it were not that FP+ only offers guests 3 FP+ a day.
The rest of the time, everyone gets to stand in those long lines.

They ruined FP.

Yes.

 

[Ravenne]

I'd be right there with you on that opinion if it were not that FP+ only offers guests 3 FP+ a day.
The rest of the time, everyone gets to stand in those long lines.

They ruined FP.

Yup. I was just mentioning to a friend the other day that I do miss the days when we can just waltz up to a FP attraction, pull a FP and come back during the designated time. There were more options for spontaneity and flying by the seat of our pants. It was more leisurely that way.

 

[ethanwa]

help! Scared of fp+! Can't we just go and have fun?

yes.

 

[lucyanna girl]

I'm afraid those days are over. A vacation at WDW is becoming more work than a job.

Penny

 

[NickyKnack]

Yes you can ignore all the hype and enjoy yourself. Think back to the days before fast pass, fastpass + or anything. You still had fun? Vacation is what you will make of it -- and if you sit there thinking "I can't do this because I don't have this" or whatever, no you won't enjoy yourself.

Don't stress over it. Whatever happens, you are still in Disneyworld!!

See THIS is actualy what scares me about our upcoming trip. I do remember the 1 trip we took pre FP and actually, no we HATED it.

 

[Safari Queen]

It's not the Apocalypse. We love FP+. We walk back and forth a lot less and know exactly how much time we have for meals and pit stops. Get there early, book FP+ for your favorites later in the day, and take advantage of short waits in the morning. Leave fast loading attractions for later in the day. Be happy.

 

[Dan Murphy]

....We are staying at the Swan...

The Swan/Dolphin resorts have specific kiosks for those two resorts. Check with the concierge folks or front desk at the resort for locations.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50910318&postcount=3500

We got a map at check in last night. Every park has a S&D station. The AK station is at the far end of the park? MK and DHS are at the front of the park and Epcot is at the rear entry.

 

[Junebugwv]

I'd be right there with you on that opinion if it were not that FP+ only offers guests 3 FP+ a day.
The rest of the time, everyone gets to stand in those long lines.

They ruined FP.

Opinions differ, but I happen to share yours.

 

[aubriee]

I'd be right there with you on that opinion if it were not that FP+ only offers guests 3 FP+ a day.
The rest of the time, everyone gets to stand in those long lines.

They ruined FP.

We sooooo agree! We were one of the super uber-user families who always got multiple fast passes a day and rode the head liners over and over. We hate the new system and can't get near as much done. When we were there this past Dec, we were staying offsite so did not even qualify for FP+ and even though they still had FP- at that time, the return times were so late (even grabbing them at rope drop), that they didn't do us any good. FP+ has made both the FP lines and the stand by lines so long, we don't even bother riding alot of rides we used to ride multiple times a trip. We've always been able to ride Toy Story Mania at least three times before lunch (grab a fast pass, then ride it twice standby back to back right at rope drop, then use the fast pass). This past Dec we didn't get to ride it even once the entire eleven days we were there. Even at park opening the lines were a lot longer than we'd ever seen them and alot of people had FP+ at park opening, so that made the standby line even longer. We always go to AK at least twice each trip, but in Dec after dealing with the long lines at MK, DS, and Epcot, we didn't even bother that fourth day. We just looked for things offsite to do.

We are going back next week, leaving this Friday morning in fact, (just to get one final use out of our AP's for this year, then for the first time in about ten years will not be renewing our APs), but I'm not really excited about this trip. We did book three FP+ for the first seven days of the trip (the maximum days AP holders staying offsite are allowed to book at this time), but have nothing booked for the last four days of the trip. However, I also made alternative plans, just in case, so may not even use the FP+ we have booked (spending a night over at Universal, so get front of the line passes for two days, may spend a day at the beach, have Fun Passes for Sea World--where you can buy unlimited front of the line passes for just $19.99, and also have one day tickets to Busch Gardens). WDW has always been my happy place and as an AP holder I always made 4-6 trips down there every single year. After our Dec trip, I had absolutely no desire to ever go back and would not be going March 21st-31st if my husband hadn't insisted he wanted to give it one more try just to get one last use out of this year's annual passes. We hate the new fast pass system. It ruined the way we did our trips. Book just three fast passes (and can't even get two headiners at Epcot or DS and can't repeat rides) for just the first seven days of an eleven day trip, then we get to stand in long lines for the rest of the time. No thanks! AT WDW you are lucky now if you get to ride Toy Story Mania once whereas at Universal, if we are staying onsite, we can ride Men in Black twenty times in a row with their free Express Pass. At DS you have to decide if you want to maybe ride Toy Story Mania or RnR (can't get a FP+ for both), whereas at Universal you get to ride all the headliners as many times as you want with their Express Pass. Guess where our vacation dollars are going from now on? Not to the Mouse!!!!

 

[dzneelvr]

Wow! This thread has been an eye-opener for us! I can now see I'll have to "de-excite" everyone on how we're going to go on all the major attractions this year We too are a family who loved to hit the FP machines the max number of times during the day for everything. Never have yet waited in a standby line for ToT or RnRrc, Star Tours, etc....now it looks like standing in line is required. What are they thinking having us stand in line for longer times instead of shopping, snoshing on snacks, getting character pictures, etc???? Is it all for some silly color wristband with a microchip in it? I'll reserve total judgment until we come home, but having to choose between major park attractions is ridiculous for AP holders and life-long WDW travelers. I feel duped

 

[DVCcurious]

You guys are all missing the point.

You AREN'T supposed to wait in those horrendously long standby lines. 40 minutes for Haunted Mansion? 30 for Pirates? 15 for Mad Tea Party? No thank you.

Join me doing the most EXCITING thing at WDW now! It's so great I think we should keep it a secret for those of us just on the DIS....are you ready...

Instead of waiting in a 25 minute IASW line you can GO SHOPPING IN A GIFT SHOP!!!!!!

Imagine the joy on your child's face when you drop $25 on a Mickey T-shirt! How your husband will love his $15 WDW Coffee Mug! And who can ever avoid buying those delightful $12.99 Picture Frames so you can frame your memories!

Don't forget to have a Memory Maker photographer get your smiling photo as you're buying your stuff! Sure you won't use this crap once you get home, but it's funner to shop than standing in another line!

 

[mom2rtk]

You guys are all missing the point.

You AREN'T supposed to wait in those horrendously long standby lines. 40 minutes for Haunted Mansion? 30 for Pirates? 15 for Mad Tea Party? No thank you.

Join me doing the most EXCITING thing at WDW now! It's so great I think we should keep it a secret for those of us just on the DIS....are you ready...

Instead of waiting in a 25 minute IASW line you can GO SHOPPING IN A GIFT SHOP!!!!!!

Imagine the joy on your child's face when you drop $25 on a Mickey T-shirt! How your husband will love his $15 WDW Coffee Mug! And who can ever avoid buying those delightful $12.99 Picture Frames so you can frame your memories!

Don't forget to have a Memory Maker photographer get your smiling photo as you're buying your stuff! Sure you won't use this crap once you get home, but it's funner to shop than standing in another line!

Maybe they'll add Photopass photographers inside the shops now? Maybe a magic shot with someone pulling out the linings of their empty pockets? Maybe something with Scrooge McDuck and all his piles of money?