Here now and loving MM+ and FP+

[rastuso]

OK, off peak, pre Spring Break Sunday, and EMH. I again ask: how do you think FP+ impacted your time positively? Sure sounds to me like you could have kept riding all Tier 1 Rides WELL after you were done with FP+ for the day. For 2 more hours. FP+ was useless for you, as FP- would have also been, which was normally turned off for EMH, especially 6 weeks before Easter.

You could have easily ridden those rides at 1am, where it seems like you essentially had the park to yourselves, not surprisingly for that hour, and that time of year.

-J

 

[DisneyMommy9]

Why question why someone likes or enjoys something. If you do not like the new system and feel it is not worth the money go somewhere else! Everyone is different, if they enjoy it please don't question why they are enjoying it.

 

[summerw]

Well, that's easy. You would show up at RD. You would immediately pull a FP. This would have a return time less than one hour in the future, since FPs didn't start until 45 minutes after open, instead of immediately like they do now..

Having FP1, you would then ride an E ticket standby, because standby was all there was, so it would be a near walkon (this was even true of TSMM for a small amount of time, since there were no FPs being used.)

You would then get FP2 ASAP. This would have a return time still only a little more than an hour in the future.

Now, before return times were enforced, you could do anything. Once they started enforcing them, as part of preparation for the awesomeness of FP+, you had to use FP1 soon. Once it was used, and you took a break, it would be near time to collect FP3. Now mind you, this would only be about 3 hours after opening. So, you would be at about 11 or 12 O'clock, and already have 3 FPs for E tickets. For the remainder of the day, you could get at a very minimum 1 more FP every 2 hours. On a normal 10 pm close, that meant you would likely get 7 or 8 FPs.

So, as you should be able to tell, 3<<<7 or 8. Plus, adding the short RD lines before FP was active for the day. You could fairly easily get 10 Tier 1 rides in a day, never waiting in a real SB line.

BUT, I did spend tons of times digging in my pocket for keys, so I guess it is a fair trade in the long run, right?

-Jason

Yes, we all get the math. There is the condescending again.

Since you asked the OP for specific rides and times for her 14 rides, I assumed you would be able to provide similar info for your own experiences, not just the possible formula, but real times where FP- made all the difference.

What Tier 1 ride still had FP- available after 5pm? One that had a standby line that you wouldn't wait in? More paper does not equal more rides. For the market share, trekking across the park with strollers or large groups or older guests or scooters to get FPs, dodging people stopped in walkways, toy kiosks child hands can reach from the stroller, parades, rain and everything else to get a new FP every two hours would be quite a chore, especially since, some by mid morning and some by afternoon, any Tier 1 FPs would be gone.

Being choosy about which rides to ride standby and which to FP+ and when could maybe help you accomplish the same number of rides, but you'd have to tell us what what those goals are. If it's just to have more FPs in your pocket, you are right, there is no way the new system will help you.

My offer of help was sincere, but I see you don't want that, so I cede in the face of futility.

 

[laceemouse]

Why question why someone likes or enjoys something. If you do not like the new system and feel it is not worth the money go somewhere else! Everyone is different, if they enjoy it please don't question why they are enjoying it.

AMEN! We used FP+ last week and loved it! I can't wait to see if all of the haters really DO quit going to WDW. I hope so, all of our trips will just get even better then

 

[laceemouse]

What Tier 1 ride still had FP- available after 5pm? One that had a standby line that you wouldn't wait in? More paper does not equal more rides. For the market share, trekking across the park with strollers or large groups or older guests or scooters to get FPs, dodging people stopped in walkways, toy kiosks child hands can reach from the stroller, parades, rain and everything else to get a new FP every two hours would be quite a chore, especially since, some by mid morning and some by afternoon, any Tier 1 FPs would be gone.

THIS! When people say "we got there at rope drop and got a zillion FPs and then we went back to the room for a break and then we hopped to another park and got a zillion more FPs" it just doesn't make sense. Why do you need them at rope drop? And how did you get ALL of them to have return times in the morning? And when you hopped to the other park how did you STILL get FPs for the more popular rides? Also, how in the world did you run crisscross around the parks for 18 hours a day? Sounds miserable.

 

[monique5]

THIS! When people say "we got there at rope drop and got a zillion FPs and then we went back to the room for a break and then we hopped to another park and got a zillion more FPs" it just doesn't make sense. Why do you need them at rope drop? And how did you get ALL of them to have return times in the morning? And when you hopped to the other park how did you STILL get FPs for the more popular rides? Also, how in the world did you run crisscross around the parks for 18 hours a day? Sounds miserable.

My thoughts too!

 

[harbin]

This FP+ debate is so incredibly annoying. It is fricken Disney World! You are not signing up for the military when you go. Guess what, we can spend hours upon hours debating the merits or faults of FP+, and it's not going to change. So you decide.. either you keep going, or you don't.
I have not used FP+ yet, we go next week. However I have been to WDW in peak season (July). We used legacy FP, however no where near running all over the park to get them. If a FP was available for a ride we wanted, we got one. If not... guess what? WE WAITED! I know it's shocking that at times in a theme park you have to wait in line.. GASP how can that be? We NEVER made it to RD in July.. we used maybe 3-4 FP a day.. and still managed to ride everything we wanted to, often multiple times. The only time it was an issue was for SM one day. Wait was over 70 minutes and all FP- were gone for the day.. we decided we didn't want to wait.. came back later in the evening before close and got right on... With FP+, I don't have to worry about "coming back later", it's reserved in the middle of the day!
I am looking forward to using FP+, seeing how it all works out, going with the flow and having a GREAT time! We are at Disney after all! My very close friend recently lost her husband to cancer... bet he would give anything to have to worry about nothing else but how long he would have to wait in line for a theme park ride... really puts things in perspective when you realize a large portion of the population in the world can't even fathom the possibility of walking through the gates of MK. They are too busy trying to feed their children... a little FP+ is never gonna get me down. I am very fortunate to be able to go at all.. and we go twice a year. That won't likely change, it's what we love to do as a family and whether we wait in line, don't wait in line we are grateful everyday we get to share that time together doing what we love. Just my 2cents.

 

[amcc]

Was it early enough that you would have been able to pull new tsmm paper fp to fix the situation? Or you just mean you would have used paper fp outside the window? Couldn't they have talked to a cm who knew they were stuck to help them get around the time expiration? So it's that the rules are harder to bend? Not sure I see a solution to help you with that one.

I don't get how any of the "what if"s you mention would be helped by fp- but not by fp+. True there is no true planning with a kid but it seems nicer to have more things with a set time planned from the quiet of my home than trying to reconfigure based on the fp we pull while ds4, who never stops moving, tries to escape.


...snip....

You are right. TOT going down was in mid-morning on Monday 3/10 so maybe there would have been some FP- available, maybe not. The CM did give them some paper FP for other rides that excluded TSM. The point isn't necessarily that the ride broke down and he missed another one - that is a similar outcome in both systems. My point is that flexibility is being touted as one of the HUGE benefits of this system and there was no flexibility here (which might have existed before with a late arrival, or not).

It's the same as with kids - it sounds nice to book from home and sometimes it works. Other times, plans go out the window and you will find that flexibility is missing. Same outcome as with FP-, but we are being sold on "Flexibility" as a new perk.

The way I looked at the new system was "Is this a better system than what was here before?" And, I can't say that it was. At best, for us, it's whatever.

We used to ride a lot. This time we rode a lot. But, because the program operationally worked and I figured out how to use it how Disney wanted me to use it does not mean that I think the system is great. I think that FP+ did not IMPROVE things enough for me to say - Great system! and come home and tell people that.

As per Disney, yes, it worked (although couldn't see restaurant availability on the app). As a consumer who remembers the possibilities that existed before (whether I used them or not), this system has taken away. I understand everyone who wants their TSM fast pass in the afternoon and if I ever use that option (we are RD people) I will be glad it is there but still not enough for me to say its better.

 

[wdwfreak]

My offer of help was sincere, but I see you don't want that, so I cede in the face of futility.

This is why I quit addressing him directly.

 

[wdwfreak]

This was our attraction list yesterday. We got there at Rope Drop and left at 3:30. The ages of the group were 63, 40, 30, 13 and 9:

Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
Under the Sea
Ariel's Grotto
The Barnstormer
It's a Small World
Haunted Mansion
Liberty Belle Riverboat
Lunch - Columbia Harbour House
Enchanted Tales with Belle FP+
Mickey's Philharmagic
Big Thunder Mountain FP+
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Space Mountain FP+
Festival of Fantasy Parade

 

[Andrea817]

We used MB & FP+ in December & loved it. We just returned Sunday evening from WDW and guess what? We loved it AGAIN! Oh, the horror!!!!!

I don't understand why people feel the need to critique anyone's touring style and/or their OPINION of something. The OP surely didn't post this while enjoying her vacation to start a debate or to have to argue with some know-it-all over HOW she could possibly love the new system. It was just a positive opinion, HER opinion. I happen to agree with the OP, as do many obviously! Just like anything in life, some people will love it and some people will hate it - it surely doesn't make either person wrong and she does NOT have to explain herself. It's an opinion, don't like it? Read it and move on. Or better yet, don't go

I am soooo tired of the negativity that must show its face in every single positive review.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

This was our attraction list yesterday. We got there at Rope Drop and left at 3:30. The ages of the group were 63, 40, 30, 13 and 9:

Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
Under the Sea
Ariel's Grotto
The Barnstormer
It's a Small World
Haunted Mansion
Liberty Belle Riverboat
Lunch - Columbia Harbour House
Enchanted Tales with Belle FP+
Mickey's Philharmagic
Big Thunder Mountain FP+
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Space Mountain FP+
Festival of Fantasy Parade

That sounds like such a fun day!

And I can clearly see how FP+ made your day fun...you didn't have to worry about getting FP- for BTMRR or SM....you had them scheduled for the busy afternoon.

You could have, if you wanted to, also rode them in the morning with probably low lines.

I'm sure this day was also easily achievable with FP-....but that's not the point is it? The point is you used FP+ and had a great day.

Glad you started the thread!

 

[bella2117]

This was our attraction list yesterday. We got there at Rope Drop and left at 3:30. The ages of the group were 63, 40, 30, 13 and 9: Jungle Cruise Pirates of the Caribbean Under the Sea Ariel's Grotto The Barnstormer It's a Small World Haunted Mansion Liberty Belle Riverboat Lunch - Columbia Harbour House Enchanted Tales with Belle FP+ Mickey's Philharmagic Big Thunder Mountain FP+ Tomorrowland Transit Authority Space Mountain FP+ Festival of Fantasy Parade

Sounds like fun day to me!! We used it last year and we loved it.

 

[LisaTC]

We used FP+ on March 9-10 while staying onsite. I made the FP+ reservations maybe two weeks in advance and got pretty much what we wanted. The bands worked to open the doors, get us in the park, and into 3 FP lines. We didn't use them to buy anything.

However, they did not materially improve our trip in any way. So I don't have to carry keys - is this really such a big deal for people? So I got to plan in advance? I keep hearing people with kids saying this is the best thing that has happened to them and I just don't get it...particularly with kids. I have 4 kids, 1 -11 years old. How in the world can anyone know months, weeks, days in advance exactly how their day will be going at WDW? What if your kid has a stomach ache in the morning, or they are starving now, or they hate the characters, or someone has a meltdown, or lets a Mickey bar melt all over them?

The purported flexibility just did not materialize for us. We were not able to change Toy Story times on the same day when my husband and kids got stuck in TOT for an hour.

I can say that the system operationally worked. No glitches. But it didn't really improve our experience so I can't say I loved it. At all. It did limit us. We are Florida residents and have been to Disney pre FP, during FP, and now FP. I wish with all my heart that I could say it was better but it just wasn't.

I think this is the majority of people. Some have had dreadful experiences with FP+ and MB issues, but generally, from the things I've read, it was ok, didn't cause a disaster, but an overwhelming improvement wasn't their experience. So, that said, I think the query as to why it seemed an overwhelming improvement for you quickly translated to why this is great and prove it and why it is better and prove it. What anybody likes and thinks is great or helpful is 100% subjective. So each experience, regardless of how similar, is still...subjective. I guess what Jason was clumsily trying to ask: (sorry Jason, but posts don't always translate sincerity and too often can translate quite the opposite, case in point) "Why did it work? Why wasn't it awful? It seems to me...that it is going to be much less of a success than my previous method. I need evidence!"
We all want solid evidence. Sorry, it isn't going to happen.

That was a large list of things accomplished and that's great. Our list would be different. Before FP+ we rode BTMRR at least 3 times, Splash 3 times, POTC, 3 times, etc. & we didn't feel rushed, running, etc. Many of us wonder if this is no longer able to be accomplished and I'm doubting it will be. So be it.

We did get there early, not always at park opening, but early enough. What was considered a nuisance by some with regard to their perspective of running to get fast passes, fumbling for them, etc was no biggie to others. Again, a subjective view. So, listing what what you accomplished between 9-3 was excellent & about all the facts/evidence/proof you can reasonably offer. Those dying for evidence that will suit their style aren't going to get it 100%. They just aren't. The proof is in the pudding. You are going to have to find out for yourself, just like I am and everyone else. I, also, don't go to WDW just for the rides - we have Cedar Point for that if I want to go ride crazy.

I confess, it was so easy to HATE even the notion of FP+ when it launched. I clenched my teeth. I didn't go this year to see how it played out...again, gathering information for how WE tour. It's moving along. It's been cumbersome. It's been time consuming. New processes are rarely "loved" in an immediate way. Unfortunately, Disney is expensive, so when we found our "method/rhythm" in how we toured, we felt we felt the expensiveness "less." Now, we have to revamp our method. I'm a planner anyway, so this will be a good challenge for me!

But like a PP mentioned, it's here, it's happening, it's life. I'll have to suck it up and move on or not go. Life is full of choices.

Here's a post with the exact opposite feeling: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3251830

We're all not going to agree, clearly, but you offered good information for people to incorporate, that's all you can do.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

This was our attraction list yesterday. We got there at Rope Drop and left at 3:30. The ages of the group were 63, 40, 30, 13 and 9:

Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
Under the Sea
Ariel's Grotto
The Barnstormer
It's a Small World
Haunted Mansion
Liberty Belle Riverboat
Lunch - Columbia Harbour House
Enchanted Tales with Belle FP+
Mickey's Philharmagic
Big Thunder Mountain FP+
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Space Mountain FP+
Festival of Fantasy Parade

Excellent!!! I would be very happy to have accomplished so much in one afternoon. You can't even say a day, being you left at 3:30.

I don't understand why people feel the need to critique anyone's touring style and/or their OPINION of something.

I am soooo tired of the negativity that must show its face in every single positive review.

If you want to be fair, the FP+ lovers go to the negative threads and critique. It is just the way of people. They think their way is the only way. Not the case.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

^well said Lisa.

I would also say that my feeling is that since you are in the ride things 3+ times camp you will probably be negatively affected by FP+. That seems to be fairly consistent and a differentiator between those who like the new system and those that don't.

 

[twism50]

As a family of 6 visiting in October of 2013 we used FP+ and MM+ and absolutely loved it. We used it for character meet and greets primarily because we were in the off season. We were able to change plans on the fly. It was extremely easy to use and manage.

 

[Andrea817]

If you want to be fair, the FP+ lovers go to the negative threads and critique. It is just the way of people. They think their way is the only way. Not the case.

Oh I'm sure!! I definitely did not mean that one-sided, everyone should respect others opinions. It's one thing to ask questions and another to be rude and condescending. I try to stay away from those negative posts though so I haven't seen that side of it.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Oh I'm sure!! I definitely did not mean that one-sided, everyone should respect others opinions. It's one thing to ask questions and another to be rude and condescending. I try to stay away from those negative posts though so I haven't seen that side of it.

Very good plan. I tend to look at both sides, so I get more data. But it is easier for me, who goes often enough to know there will always be another trip. I feel very badly for first timers or once in a lifetimers who get scared by all this craziness. LOL

 

[LisaTC]

^well said Lisa.

I would also say that my feeling is that since you are in the ride things 3+ times camp you will probably be negatively affected by FP+. That seems to be fairly consistent and a differentiator between those who like the new system and those that don't.

That would likely be the case, however, we did it because we could. Do you know what I mean? We are open to doing it less and other things more. We didn't too many meet 'n greets because of lines and while I've voiced I wouldn't use a FP+ for that, I've reconsidered that, dependent on DD, perhaps we'd do one of those now for a character DD hasn't had a chance with. We usually luck out on characters, by happening upon them. Mary Poppins, Cinderella/Prince Charming, Tiana, Fairy God mothers, Chip & Dale...

Flexibility is definitely key. For us, we are flexible, for the most part. We like taking a down time after eating and ride the train or visit COP or PeopleMover, many people wouldn't THINK of heading to those attractions because they are boring, but that is subjective (my word of the moment) Doing those attractions provided us with a pay off...a rest. Everybody's payoff will be different.

Did we have to ride BTMRR 3x...no. We usually go when there's a party,too, so either MNSSHP or MVMCP and we ride our brains out at those parties, so this will be an opportunity for us to try new things. I've come around on FP+ because I like Disney World. I don't like just Splash or POTC. I like the entirety of DW. After all, it isn't cancer. I've dealt with worse things than FP- to FP+!