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

[clsteve]

Disney resort bookings are down. Peripheral revenue drivers have peaked and are heading down. Price resistance is becoming apparent.

Will new and more plentiful discounts be on the near horizon as all of this upward pressure on revenue exhausts it's potential?

That's my curiosity in all of this. You can't keep charging more for the perception of less.

Yes indeed.

When you add in the monumental, self-induced, pressure to re-coup the 1 to 2 billion investment in MM+ and wean it off of its impact to the Ops Budget as soon as possible -- it really puts things at odds.

 

[Ellwood970]

So, you think it would have been better to just drop the changes all at once and let the chips fall where they may?

. It would have been better to keep prices stable until the testing was done.

 

[CNYDisneyFan]

Hooray!

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't see how Disney is forcing anyone to use FP+, they are advertising it but it isn't required that people use it. My guess is most of the people that didn't take advantage of FP- (which was easier to use) will never bother to even book FP+.
.

Heavily promoted? Yes! And yeah, in my experience forced.

I went to DW with my handicapped sister who was not interested in booking FP's because she doesn't go on many rides. She finally booked a FP for MESP because the over enthusiastic but well meaning CM at check in insisted that she should. Of course she also had to book two additional FP's that she had no intention of using.

Maybe it's different now that everyone can book them. And obviously the offsite people will not feel forced to book FP's. But at the DW resorts from August - December there seemed to be pressure from cm's to book them.

 

[wareagle57]

This is exactly my concern. I have not been since FP+ rolled out but we were heavy users of FP-. RD every single day at every single park. We knew how to work the system and we loved it. Being there at RD was one of our biggest 'weapons' along with maximizing FP-. Now one of our weapons, FP-, has been taken away and all we have left is RD. If everyone starts going at RD, we lose that too. I know that this board is designed to share tips and secrets and we all had to learn somewhere, but am I the only one who cringes every time I see the recommendation to "be there at rope drop" posted over and over?? I know that sounds bad. I want to help people and I want everyone to have a magical trip but just not when I am there

I'm a little worried about that too, but I really don't think we should be. If they don't do it already, they probably aren't going to start. People go on vacation to relax and you just aren't going to convince most people to get out of bed at 7 am on vacation. Only the hardcores like us that already know how awesome it is will do it. Even people who know sometimes have trouble actually getting there at rope drop.

 

[glamdring269]

Hopefully by the time October rolls around we will be able to do this via mobile. Seems like such a step back in tech progression to send everyone to the kiosk for FP+ beyond 3.

 

[Jennasis]

I thinks it's adorable that some have so much faith in Disney that they believe these changes were planned all along and not a necessary response to the very vocal criticism by the public.

Honestly, does it MATTER why? Everyone has such a visceral need to be right..."I knew all along they'd make changes" v. "Disney finally listened to me/us..."

It doesn't matter a shiny rat's (mouse's?) butt, as long as the changes were made.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Got a good laugh reading this thread just now! Awaiting all the "thank goodness we all complained for years on an unofficial Disney board... That's why they fixed it!" threads! Such an awesome understanding of how major corporations make significant business decisions...

 

[Dan Murphy]

Some additional clarifications....

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymag...ing-and-an-increased-number-of-selections.htm

Everything you need to know about the new FastPass+ enhancements - including park hopping and an increased number of selections Apr 25, 2014 | 6:55am EDT Discuss Tweet Share Share
Enhancements are coming to FastPass+ on Monday April 28 2014, which will allow guests to make additional FastPass+ reservations once the originally three selections have been used. The additional FastPass+ selections may also be made at a different park, which effectively allows FastPass+ park hopping.

We've put together a list of everything you need to know about the changes.

Once the original three FastPass+ selections have been used, it is possible to visit a FastPass+ kiosk in the park to make a new FastPass+ selection.

One additional FastPass+ can be made at a time. Once the additional FastPass+ selection has been used, or after the arrival time passes, another FastPass+ selection can be made at an in-park FastPass+ kiosk.

The additional selection can be made at a different park than the original three selections, but must be made at a kiosk inside the required park.

Initially, the additional FastPass+ selection must be made at a kiosk, and cannot be done on My Disney Experience apps or website.

Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios both have tiered selections for the original three FastPass+ selections, but this does not apply to the additional selection, meaning that you can select any FastPass+ attraction.

There is no limit to the number of additional selections that can be made following the use of the original three selections. Once the additional FastPass+ selection has been used, or after the arrival time passes, another FastPass+ selection can be made at an in-park FastPass+ kiosk.

Once one of the original three FastPass+ selections has been used, all three must expire before the additional FastPass+ can be made at a different park.

The additional FastPass+ selection can be made for an attraction that has already been used with FastPass+ previously in the day.

If one of the originally FastPass+ selections is made for close to park closing, it will not be possible to make an extra FastPass+ selection.

And from Josh.

http://www.easywdw.com/news/disney-...tpass-selections-beginning-monday-april-28th/

 

[PEC]

Time to play WFPAAN (What FastPasses Are Available Now)

Time: 4:45 pm Disney time.

EPCOT:
Tier 1: Maelstrom and Character spot
Tier 2: everything

HS:
Tier 1: BatB

Tier2:
Star Tours
Muppets
American Idol
Great Movie Ride
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

AK:
Dinosaur
Nemo
ITTBAB
Kali
Disney Pals
Primeval Whirl

MK:
Everything except ETWB, A&E, and Ariel's grotto.

So, I may be moving some FPs around. We'll be starting our days in other parks and then hopping to MK to do the secondary rides with our "extra" FPs.

You bet your FP that I'll be checking around noon to see what's left each day.

Great Update.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Some additional clarifications.... http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus/news/25apr2014-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-fastpass-enhancements---including-park-hopping-and-an-increased-number-of-selections.htm And from Josh. http://www.easywdw.com/news/disney-to-add-ability-to-book-additional-fastpass-selections-beginning-monday-april-28th/

Thanks Dan!

 

[surferdave]

I thinks it's adorable that some have so much faith in Disney that they believe these changes were planned all along and not a necessary response to the very vocal criticism by the public.

Honestly, does it MATTER why? Everyone has such a visceral need to be right..."I knew all along they'd make changes" v. "Disney finally listened to me/us..."

It doesn't matter a shiny rat's (mouse's?) butt, as long as the changes were made.

I think mom's got it right. Disney definitely had this option in mind from the start, but if all the feedback they got was that the system was all sparkly magic fairy dust as it was they would not have invoked it. Personally I doubt that any FP's of consequence will be available as a 4th anyway most of the time.

What I do find interesting is that they aren't letting guests use the billion dollar interface to make the additional reservations and they have to go to a kiosk. I think they know it's too fragile to handle that kind of traffic making live data changes at once, and the collateral damage might be too great for the "we're sorry but you're SOL" apologies.

 

[rapunzels]

From the updates

**One additional FastPass+ can be made at a time. Once the additional FastPass+ selection has been used, or after the arrival time passes, another FastPass+ selection can be made at an in-park FastPass+ kiosk.**

So am I reading this correctly?? If I miss one of my first 3 FP's.. as long as it is after that time slot, I can still get another FP??

 

[Mad Hattered]

Got a good laugh reading this thread just now! Awaiting all the "thank goodness we all complained for years on an unofficial Disney board... That's why they fixed it!" threads! Such an awesome understanding of how major corporations make significant business decisions...

Maybe it was the emails and letters that were sent that got their attention.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I think mom's got it right. Disney definitely had this option in mind from the start, but if all the feedback they got was that the system was all sparkly magic fairy dust as it was they would not have invoked it. Personally I doubt that any FP's of consequence will be available as a 4th anyway most of the time. What I do find interesting is that they aren't letting guests use the billion dollar interface to make the additional reservations and they have to go to a kiosk. I think they know it's too fragile to handle that kind of traffic making live data changes at once, and the collateral damage might be too great for the "we're sorry but you're SOL" apologies.

Agreed on the first bit. My thinking on why the kiosk is to cut down on FP+ reservations that will go unused... Making you be in the park to get them would do that. Just a thought. But that said, I hope they change that so we can use MDE!

 

[Angel Ariel]

Got a good laugh reading this thread just now! Awaiting all the "thank goodness we all complained for years on an unofficial Disney board... That's why they fixed it!" threads! Such an awesome understanding of how major corporations make significant business decisions...

To be clear, I don't think anyone here is suggesting that complaining on the DIS triggered the changes. Many of those who complained here also voiced their opinions to Disney via e-mail/follow-up phone calls when Disney called them re: e-mail complaints/surveys/etc. It is those complaints that I think had an impact on these changes, not postings on the DIS.

Thank you for the condescension, though.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Maybe it was the emails and letters that were sent that got their attention.

Or the well-reasoned, randomly selected, representative feedback they systematically collected since testing?

 

[Jennasis]

I think mom's got it right. Disney definitely had this option in mind from the start, but if all the feedback they got was that the system was all sparkly magic fairy dust as it was they would not have invoked it. Personally I doubt that any FP's of consequence will be available as a 4th anyway most of the time.

What I do find interesting is that they aren't letting guests use the billion dollar interface to make the additional reservations and they have to go to a kiosk. I think they know it's too fragile to handle that kind of traffic making live data changes at once, and the collateral damage might be too great for the "we're sorry but you're SOL" apologies.

Precisely...BOTH sides are right. If there was no need to change the system, they would leave it as is (and of course they've got contigencies up their sleeves for all kinds of possibilities). But since they've received feedback from the public...hello changes.

 

[Jennasis]

Or the well-reasoned, randomly selected, representative feedback they systematically collected since testing?

Or both.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Or both.

If by both you mean their surveying AND letters/complaints directly to Disney, we agree.