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

[Laketravis]

I got caught in the Pop mess. Ticked me off actually but wasn't sure if they would add All Stars so just stayed at Pop. Frustrating it happened after the 45 day payment too. I know the only thing constant is change but different when you're plunking down thousands of dollars to have a massive change like that.

A magical screwing followed by a pixie dust shower for sure.

 

[Ellwood970]

Made all fastpass for five days now decided to use leftover water park tickets one day have to change fastpasses it is TOO CUMBERSOME i dont care what you all think i think it is poorly thought out and implemented.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

A magical screwing followed by a pixie dust shower for sure.

Haha! In all honesty as frustrating as it was, I did have a good time but I do not think it's right how it all went down. I never did get notified by Disney it was happening - just read it here. I had never seen the Christmas decorations and know I probably won't be back to see them any time soon so I tried to make the trip about enjoying the decorations instead of rides. I did for sure miss FP- though. It was just me and a friend and I was at RD every day but 1 (one day I slept in and still arrived and MK by 9:30) and pretty much stayed til close. Next trip is with kids tho and I have no clue how this is gonna work.

I hope beyond hope they will one day allow us to make FP+ ressies in more than one park. At least then I won't feel like I'm throwing 2 away in Epcot.

 

[Shaden]

What are the projected crowds for WDW this week? I'd check but I let my TouringPlans for WDW lapse. Not to worry though. I've kept the one for DLR up to date.

I just figured that with Easter over and school still in session, crowds would be back down again.

That list of rides out of FP at 9:45 is not encouraging. At all.

Crowds are around 5 for the next couple weeks, its going to be interesting to see how FP+ with 4+ works out. I will test and push it as much as I can starting Friday.

 

[Shaden]

I am aware there are other places people complained but it was still a very small percentage compared to number of guests that visit.

Lol, because you have a statistical calculation of the % of people who visited the parks vs those who complained now ???

Interesting, imagine all those people with blogs and websites that make a living with WDW websites but don't have access to that information, but you do somehow, amazing.

 

[Shaden]

Wouldn't it be great if all of this had its roots in a high-level executive discussion in which the topic was "Gee, how can we enhance the magic, spread the pixie dust, increase the happiness and satisfaction levels of every single one of our park guests in the fairest and most equitable manner possible?"

Because if that was the original intent, then many of the posts I read would make total sense.

But that was not the original intent. The objective was how to accommodate more guests, get those guests to spend more, and to do so by leveraging existing capacity in the parks without substantially increasing that capacity thru the use of yield management techniques to maximize unused capacity of less-than popular attractions by forcing them into the choice pool and literally manufacturing demand for attractions that previously had none.

That's where we are today. And as clsteve posted above, quite the social experiment.

Bravo

 

[Sammie]

Lol, because you have a statistical calculation of the % of people who visited the parks vs those who complained now ???

Interesting, imagine all those people with blogs and websites that make a living with WDW websites but don't have access to that information, but you do somehow, amazing.

Oh good grief, some of you are beyond belief. You seriously don't think that people have friends that work in such places.

You don't have any friends that discuss their jobs with you?

If not, then I guess you really don't understand.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh good grief, some of you are beyond belief. You seriously don't think that people have friends that work in such places.

You don't have any friends that discuss their jobs with you?

If not, then I guess you really don't understand.

Of course we have friends that discuss jobs like that. The difference is that they are my friends. I know them. I don't know you.

if I claimed some super secret inside knowledge on a message board where I don't have a reputation/track record for such knowledge, I wouldn't expect everyone to believe me.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I've finally made it through the whole thread.! This is what I know about planning for an upcoming June trip. We will be travelling with some extended family that will more than likely be a one and done. Me and another family member that has been to Disney have been trying for weeks to get them to decide on rides to make FP+s for and we are within 60 days and getting close to 30 days. They are very much overwhelmed!! To the point they are getting turned off to the whole trip. The two of us that have travelled to Disney have decided to just plan things out with our knowledge of Disney and those family members and try to help lead them through their day.

I have no doubts that they will still have a good time and some great family memories but I also have no doubt that if they would have had a much nicer and easier trip if they had gone last summer. I've helped others plan trips, explained the old FP system and have been thanked after they returned. I can't say the same with the new system. The new amount of planning has added a new level of stress that I do not enjoy. I do not like worrying if I made the right decision about the times I have picked for our FP+s. I do not like worrying about the fact that my family of 3 doesn't have a smart phone to try and change those FP+s if I didn't make the right decision. I do not like the fact that the Samsung tablet that we bought in part to be able to use the new Disney app isn't compatible with the app (when every $0.99 crappy app every made will work on it....how can this be possible from Disney!!!) I do not like the fact that Disney is playing with the FP+ spots. You want me to use your great new system then throw the spots out there and let the chips fall where they may. And I say that as a family that hasn't made all their FP+s and is getting close to 30 days. So another thing I can add to the list of my dislikes of the new FP+ system is these new feelings it has brought about my upcoming trip.

I've never said that we would not be going back to Disney and I am still not saying that. I will see what this year's trip will be like. I will say that all of this does not make me feel warm and fuzzy about my favorite place. Worry and stress are now added to my list of feelings about planning my Disney vacation. Those feeling have never been present before this year.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh good grief, some of you are beyond belief. You seriously don't think that people have friends that work in such places.

You don't have any friends that discuss their jobs with you?

If not, then I guess you really don't understand.

Seriously........ and I want you to think about this for a minute.

If I all of a sudden popped into one of these threads and said I have a friend who works at Disney and they said FP+ rollout had been a huge miscalculation that the company regretted ever undertaking.............would you believe me?

 

[clsteve]

Seriously........ and I want you to think about this for a minute.

If I all of a sudden popped into one of these threads and said I have a friend who works at Disney and they said FP+ rollout had been a huge miscalculation that the company regretted ever undertaking.............would you believe me?

I'd believe you!

But I was taught to always believe Mom

 

[mom2rtk]

I'd believe you!

But I was taught to always believe Mom

 

[chapie1968]

Is it possible that I am the first one to post this? I don't see any other posts about this. Sorry if I missed it and I am really the 45th person to post this:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/04/mymagic-adding-even-more-magic-to-fastpass/

Seems like a mixed blessing, as everyone has been saying. This really screws you up if you pick Wishes or something as one of your initial 3 FP+.

I don't see it as anything to be excited about because by the time you use up your 3 FP and then stand in line for an hour at the FP kiosk, there won't be anything left worth grabbing.

So basically it's a PR spin for Disney to try to make it look as if they are adjusting the system and giving the guest more when in reality, this may help maybe 1% of the guests each day.

 

[asmit4]

I don't see it as anything to be excited about because by the time you use up your 3 FP and then stand in line for an hour at the FP kiosk, there won't be anything left worth grabbing.

So basically it's a PR spin for Disney to try to make it look as if they are adjusting the system and giving the guest more when in reality, this may help maybe 1% of the guests each day.

Unless something changes I agree with you. Plan on using 3 and that's it. Why waste an hour in line at a kiosk to get the leftovers?

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't see it as anything to be excited about because by the time you use up your 3 FP and then stand in line for an hour at the FP kiosk, there won't be anything left worth grabbing.

So basically it's a PR spin for Disney to try to make it look as if they are adjusting the system and giving the guest more when in reality, this may help maybe 1% of the guests each day.

Unless something changes I agree with you. Plan on using 3 and that's it. Why waste an hour in line at a kiosk to get the leftovers?

Agree, agree.

It's worth a shot to see what is left after the 3, but I wouldn't plan around it. Better to think of it as a bonus.

 

[mom2rtk]

Agree, agree.

It's worth a shot to see what is left after the 3, but I wouldn't plan around it. Better to think of it as a bonus.

That's how I would treat it in the absence of reliable information to the contrary.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I know you can't schedule FP+s to overlap but curious if anyone knows if you can still move them around once you've used one so they do overlap. Ex: when I was there in Dec I had space for 3:30-4:30 and Buzz for 4:50-5:50. I was in the Space line and through the 2nd checkpoint by like 3:45. I used the app and was able to move buzz up to 3:50-4:50. This was a great help b/c I didn't want to do anything else in Tomorrowland.

Thinking if they still allow this to happen you might technically be able to use all 3 of your FP+ ressies and get the 4th much sooner. Obviously it depends in availability which it sounds like is ever changing.

 

[Mad Hattered]

I'd believe you!

But I was taught to always believe Mom

Except if she tells you that Lima beans taste good and you have to eat 3 bites before you have the option to eat another piece of bbq chicken. You just have to hope that Dad doesn't scarf down the rest of the chicken while you're trying to work your way through 3 bites.

Other than that....I believe mom.

 

[Tomh]

Absolutely.

If you just look at the patent application Disney filed, it discusses the ability to develop customized schedules for guests based on their stated priorities for what attractions they want to experience and how they want to spend their time. FP+ is just part of that overall process. The idea would be to allow (but not require) guests to choose the things they most want to do and have Disney provide an itinerary that would allow them to do the things they want to do in an efficient manner while working around things like ADR's.

I see these schedules as being very similar to the customizable touring plans offered by some subscription sites now. Unlike those sites, Disney could provide both the schedule and the FP reservations included in it.

Yes, and more. They can make ADR's work with the schedule instead of twisting the schedule around to work with the ADR's. Down the road, I think that the ability of the system to recognize guests and hence interact with them personally is going to be a big part of it as well. Theoretically the system can store all sorts of preferences and info about any guest, and that info can be kept through the years over many trips.

I really think that the personalization is going to be a huge thing when they fully implement it. There is a lot more under the hood of this beast.

 

[beer dave]

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

Maybe it was. How many did you send?