Here it is - Announcement re More FP+ Beginning 4/28

[LBIJim]

Going to Orlando May 1-10, but Disney was never part of the plans. It has nothing to do with FP+; just that this is a SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Universal/beach vacation. Now I'm ALMOST tempted to go to a Disney park for a day to see how all this works.

Jim

 

[practicallyperfect77]

This is such awesome news ... at least for me and my family ... and for many others I am sure. We are there starting Friday, have most days with early fp and a couple with evening fp ... will report how each works out.

Thanks Shaden....excited to read your report of first hand experience. I'm still not sold this is great so hopefully your experience puts my mind at ease. Just not sure what headliners are going to be left. I believe I read somewhere that 85% or so of guests are now using FP+ where only 50% used FP-. Not sure how all that math works out.

 

[OhStuffandFluff]

So what if we miss a fast pass reservation? Like for whatever reason you don't physically swipe your magic band and go to a meet and greet or onto a ride. If it's 2 PM and you have passed all your FP reservations time wise, but didn't physically go to one, does that still count as "using" it? If I think we need to take a break or want to eat I don't really want to feel like I absolutely have to be at my FP reservation or I won't be able to book more later in the day (assuming there's anything left I suppose). Does that make any sort of sense?? In a way I really like the pre-booking thing but this is all very confusing

I am curious about how this will work as well.

 

[3happydancers]

According to Disney's site (so take that for it's worth) they list 16 total kiosk locations amongst all four parks, with MK having the most with 6.

Hmmm, and how many FP- machines were there in total? I'm thinking that for each ride that offered FP in the past had at least 3-4 machines each (some had more). So if you totaled that up, I am guessing there would have been many more FP-machines than there are kiosks. Is my math correct?

 

[MattRyan]

So now it is advantageous to select your 3 FP as early as possible?

 

[hhill]

I've recently made my FP reservations and have decided against changing them in the hope of getting more later in the day. My logic is that I am happy that the attractions and times I have picked will save us time. If I have to stack them together and use a FP for Space Mountain at 9.05 am when I could have walked on so that I can hope to get the Barnstormer at 5 pm as my fourth one then the first 'good' FP I had, really had no value .... can you see where I'm going with this? I think it may work for some better than others. I guess I'm just tired of planning now and want to close the schedule book so I can give my head a rest before we arrive on vacation

This is exactly how I feel!

 

[Minnie222]

It will shift the ride occupancy in the morning. Higher percentage of FP users and "relatively" lowered standby users in the morning hours. Right now, we are happy to wait for 10-15 minutes for rides in the morning and saving the 3 FP+ in the afternoon. If people can get more FP+, no one would be willing to wait in the morning, be it only 15 minutes.

With the new game rules, I wonder how we can maximize or optimize a day in the park. Being able to book a fourth FP+ doesn't mean those are the things you want, at the time you want.

Current strategy is Rope Drop, standby to rides (which is free style), FP+ in the afternoon, and standby to rides in late evening.

Starting next morning will become: Rope Drop, standby for a couple rides, FP+, FP+, FP+, then kiosk to gamble your luck for leftover FP+, then gamble again. Does it sound better? Yes, it does, because you (each individual you) are given more priorities to rides. But to me, I think it sound much more tiring than the current situation.

Please, some dis-ers figure out a way to tour plan under the new arrangement!!

 

[Viva Las Disney]

I've recently made my FP reservations and have decided against changing them in the hope of getting more later in the day. My logic is that I am happy that the attractions and times I have picked will save us time. If I have to stack them together and use a FP for Space Mountain at 9.05 am when I could have walked on so that I can hope to get the Barnstormer at 5 pm as my fourth one then the first 'good' FP I had, really had no value .... can you see where I'm going with this?

If I were booking today I don't think I'd book my FP+ for rope drop times either. Rope drop has always been the best time to tour and most of WDW's visitors always chose to sleep in because it was vacation, I don't see that changing.

On my previous trip I booked my FP+ for the evening, now I think I'd book them for the 11-2 range in hopes I could snag at least one more quality FP before they run out.

ETA: On park hopping days I think I'll stick with my original touring plan and still book my FP+ for the evening after I hop. That was my favorite part of FP+, being able to book ToT, RnRC, and TSMM at night after spending the morning hitting e-tickets at another park (before tiering).

 

[2Tiggies]

I am curious about how this will work as well.

Only if you can get something worthwhile when you've burned through the first three. If you can, then yes. How to figure out if that will happen? I have no idea.

 

[CarlaLovesDisney]

I have mixed feelings as well. This seems like the old FP system but now you can reserve in advance. So does this mean that I don't have to reserve rides in the afternoon? Can I do the "old" FP strategy now? I thought I had it all planned out for my trip in May, now I'm not sure.

 

[RachaelA]

I admit I didn't read all the comments in this thread. Can you for example make EP FPs at a MK kiosk after your MK FPs run out?

 

[delmar411]

So what if we miss a fast pass reservation? Like for whatever reason you don't physically swipe your magic band and go to a meet and greet or onto a ride. If it's 2 PM and you have passed all your FP reservations time wise, but didn't physically go to one, does that still count as "using" it?

If I think we need to take a break or want to eat I don't really want to feel like I absolutely have to be at my FP reservation or I won't be able to book more later in the day (assuming there's anything left I suppose).

Does that make any sort of sense?? In a way I really like the pre-booking thing but this is all very confusing

You only have to actually 1 of your 3 to be eligible for the 4th and beyond.

 

[delmar411]

I'm interesting in finding out if they will quietly exempt nighttime entertainment from the "must use all 3 FP+ entitlements" rule. Disney has to have thought about that scenario. I know they haven't mentioned anything about that, but there's always wishing!

No, it is specifically not exempted. If you hold Wishes or Illuminations then you are SOL for a 4th FP.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

This would have helped us a lot when we were wandering around MK between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., having used our three FP+ and not wanting to stand in 35 min lines to re-ride things like Under the Sea, Pooh, or Buzz. I would imagine that these would have still had availability, especially if we had shifted our third FP+ to a little earlier. The Diamond Horseshoe kiosk line was short while we were waiting nearby for the parade to start. And I'm sure this will eventually be available through the app.

OTOH, it makes planning decisions even more complicated. And I'm scared what this will do to morning lines over time, as people adjust to the new rules.

 

[jade1]

So now it is advantageous to select your 3 FP as early as possible?

I would say, as early as you want to arrive at a park. If it's 4PM-then 4PM, if it's 9AM-then 9AM etc. Unless an attraction is not the first thing you want to do on arrival.

 

[Disneylover99]

You only have to actually 1 of your 3 to be eligible for the 4th and beyond.

I thought you had to use all 3 first, then you could book a 4th FP?

 

[delmar411]

I thought you had to use all 3 first, then you could book a 4th FP?

No, all 3 have to expire.

 

[Kelly014]

You only have to actually 1 of your 3 to be eligible for the 4th and beyond.

So after you use one you can go to a kiosk and make another FP selection right away?

 

[delmar411]

So after you use one you can go to a kiosk and make another FP selection right away?

No, you have to of had all 3 expire and you must have actually used 1 of them. They aren't going to let people who aren't even using them, make more.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

So after you use one you can go to a kiosk and make another FP selection right away?

No, you have to use all 3 pre-booked FP's before you can get a 4th.