Here now LOVE FP+ (seriously)

[cseca]

So in summary, OP says they rode ToT 4 times, TSMM 3 times, RnRC 1 time, GMR 1 time, Star Tours 2 times. Only 3 of those 11 rides have anything to do with FP+. That's why many of us are questioning how the post is evidence of FP+ being great, when all it really does is shows how effective RD and RS are.

Yep
I wonder about this as well.
Not attacking the OP but I don't know how happy OP would be if she didn't have the RS option.

 

[disneymom1229]

I'm telling ya... Disney encourages it in their transportation announcements! "Please take small children by the hand..." and they never specify WHOSE small children! You could totally do this!!!

(Edited to add: That'll teach me to read the ENTIRE thread before commenting... I see that's been covered! LOL)

Oh!! "by the hand"....We like to hear it as "Please take small children by the hair". No wonder we get so many strange looks when we get off the bus....

 

[*disgal*]

Yep
I wonder about this as well.
Not attacking the OP but I don't know how happy OP would be if she didn't have the RS option.

Yes. And I would like to apologize to the OP if I have come across as "attacking" or anywhere near that. I don't like when that is done. I truly don't see that happening here....I think it's just discussion but obviously some here think OP IS being attacked. Not really worried about them but the OP is another matter. So please accept my apologies taraaplin. I am just trying to plan better for my trip in less than 2 weeks and trying to read everything I can on FP+.

Glad you had a great trip.

 

[wuzzy6]

Oh!! "by the hand"....We like to hear it as "Please take small children by the hair". No wonder we get so many strange looks when we get off the bus....

 

[MrInfinity]

Now don't you know this is a discussion board? meaning people are ready to discuss how wrong you are when you happen to like a certain way of touring? Posting something positive should come with its own flame suit! Can't wait to hear your take on FP+ in May.

I can't wait either. I'm half terrified, and half thrilled. I think I have a plan down to deal w the new contraints. But I don't know, it's a SWW and I think it'll just be a mob scene. I'm definitely trying to take in all views and results to get the most out of our own trip.

 

[OtherScott]

I know that we disagree on this, but I think that you are way overplaying the behavioral analysis angle of FP+. I don't believe that FP+ is some great social experiment on human behavior engineered by some Nobel-nominated Stanford PhDs. The use of MBs to track guest movements and spending patterns? Sure. But 3 FPs a day doesn't seem to be enough to gather any sort of behavioral data, especially as guests age out of certain attractions. In 2014 a family might get FPs for a whole bunch of princesses. In 2017 they might get FPs for a whole new set of rides. What does Disney learn from that other than the fact that the family has kids who have gotten older. They didn't need to spend billions to figure that out. FP+ is checkers. It is a really cool app driven system that allows guests to emotionally invest in their vacation months before it actually takes place, and it locks them in to days in the parks so that they do not venture northward on I-4. That's it. The rest of MDE may be far more advanced. But FP+ is simply this year's model of last year's product, only using machines that cost less to upkeep and smart phones, because that is what kids these days love to use. Why have them playing Angry Birds in line when they could be using the Disney app. But behavioral science. No. This isn't it. So while it is easy to dismiss people's opinions by claiming that we are blind and cannot see the behavioral science aspect of this, that in and of itself requires a lot of blind faith to believe that this is what is actually going on.

I'm sorry, Jimmy, but blind faith is all there is. You can say the same thing over and over, tweak it to seemingly overcome this minor point or that one, but at the end of the day we're left with some variation of "with FP- you could ride more rides than you can with FP+."

And that this is the formula we should use to measure satisfaction over a ridiculously large and diverse subject group to chart a course for commercial success.

You seem to also give greater weight than I do to what people "could do" under this system versus that system. If I am Disney, the only question I care about is "What will they do?"

 

[mco65]

ah yes, the rider swap days.. I do miss them!

 

[JimmyV]

...but at the end of the day we're left with some variation of "with FP- you could ride more rides than you can with FP+."

This does appear to be the inescapable conslusion, and to many, this is the sine qua non of a Disney vacation.

And that this is the formula we should use to measure satisfaction over a ridiculously large and diverse subject group to chart a course for commercial success.

Yes, the subject group is far too large and diverse to nail anything down as a formula for success. But it is natural for people to be upset when they have something taken away from them with no corresponding reduction in fare. It cannot be argued that forced tiering is anything other than a reduction. It just is. The question remains, will people care. Obviously, there are plenty who do as evidenced by this board, Twitter, FB, micechat, et al..

You seem to also give greater weight than I do to what people "could do" under this system versus that system. If I am Disney, the only question I care about is "What will they do?"

And you give greater weight than I that the FP+ system allows Disney to answer your question. I could pretty much tell you what people at DHS "will" do. They will go straight to TSM and then make a beeline down Sunset Blvd to ToT and RnR. Not hard to figure out. So FP+ allows them, should they choose, to avoid the predictable run to TSM. First, so what? How does heading toward ST insteadof TSM increase profits? It doesn't. How does sleeping in for an extra hour increase profits? It doesn't. OK. So 2% of guests now eat breakfast before heading to the park. Is that the profit-driven, behavioral science that you are looking for? Second, human behavior has changed marginally if at all. Arrive at RD at DHS and observe what happens under this new regime as compared to the old. Watch where people go. Observe how FP+ has socially engineered guests into behaving differently. Know what you will really see at RD? Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

 

[MrInfinity]

I could pretty much tell you what people at DHS "will" do. They will go straight to TSM and then make a beeline down Sunset Blvd to ToT and RnR. Not hard to figure out. So FP+ allows them, should they choose, to avoid the predictable run to TSM. First, so what? How does heading toward ST insteadof TSM increase profits? It doesn't. How does sleeping in for an extra hour increase profits? It doesn't. OK. So 2% of guests now eat breakfast before heading to the park. Is that the profit-driven, behavioral science that you are looking for? Second, human behavior has changed marginally if at all. Arrive at RD at DHS and observe what happens under this new regime as compared to the old. Watch where people go. Observe how FP+ has socially engineered guests into behaving differently. Know what you will really see at RD? Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

It's not that FP+ is reconditioning people to spend more money. It's that some people would spend more money if given the chance, others would not. So FP+ is designed to enable those that would spend more, to spend more. The goal of the system is to make it easier for people to spend money, thus, those with money to spend will do so more freely.

BTW, your assessment of what people will do is off, if you consider me a person. I have plans to rope drop TSMM / JTA (split up), then head over for a breakfast at 8:30. Then watch a parade, then do Star Tours, Muppetvision, HISTK, and Dis Jr, plus a FP of TSMM. Then catch a dinner at 5pm, then head over to Sunset later in the afternoon, ride TOT via FP, and probly Rockin via Standby, albeit late in the day so hopefully not terrible.

We're a pretty typical resort guest family with young kids. I have me getting on most things I want via FP+ (TSMM, ST, and TOT) and waiting sb for only Rockin, which the big kids can do after mom takes the baby back to the hotel. I think we'll get in the Muppets, DisJr, and other kid-stuff relatively fast cuz it's a SWW Friday (lower kid-crowd, greater teen / adult crowd).

I'm looking at that as a really productive day, doing tons of Star Wars stuff, tons of regular stuff, and all via FP+. Part of the savings here is in that we can avoid travelling down Sunset Blvd most of the day. Under FP-, there would be lots of traversing the park to get tickets. With FP+, I have them in a neat little circle from JTA to Star Tours to TSMM to Dis Jr, ending back at H&V. It really cuts out a ton of waste.

If you think my plan is unrealistic pls share! I am terrified of this day most of all, and want it to go pretty smoothly.

 

[magicbob]

I'm sorry, Jimmy, but blind faith is all there is. You can say the same thing over and over, tweak it to seemingly overcome this minor point or that one, but at the end of the day we're left with some variation of "with FP- you could ride more rides than you can with FP+."

And that this is the formula we should use to measure satisfaction over a ridiculously large and diverse subject group to chart a course for commercial success.

You seem to also give greater weight than I do to what people "could do" under this system versus that system. If I am Disney, the only question I care about is "What will they do?"

Or to put it another way, "what is the least amount we can let them do and still be satisfied with the experience?"

 

[JimmyV]

BTW, your assessment of what people will do is off, if you consider me a person.

Of course I was speaking in general terms. With a 5 and a 2, you are not the Sunset Blvd demographic. But the JTA thing points out something important. The single biggest change in the RD rush that has occured in the last decade has been the introduction of JTA. People rush to that first thing to sign up. So the single biggest change to the pattern of guest behavior at RD was the introduction of an attraction, not the introduction of a new FP system. Want to change people's behavior? Build more rides.

 

[OtherScott]

Or to put it another way, "what is the least amount we can let them do and still be satisfied with the experience?"

No quibbles. Every business has to meet a minimum level. Disney's usually been pretty successful at exceeding expectations.

 

[OtherScott]

The single biggest change in the RD rush that has occured in the last decade has been the introduction of JTA. People rush to that first thing to sign up. So the single biggest change to the pattern of guest behavior at RD was the introduction of an attraction, not the introduction of a new FP system. Want to change people's behavior? Build more rides.

JTA is FP+ sans pre-book.

 

[taraaplin]

Well I'm still here! Animal Kingdom today. It's been just as great today as yesterday. Again I like not having to run and pray for fast passes. I liked doing them ahead of time and not worrying once I arrived. I've ridden EE twice and still have a rider swap remaining. I've rode dinosaur twice and triceratops spin more times than I can count (prob 4). Also we have ride safari twice. I still have FP for rapids! We also did fast pass for characters!

 

[OtherScott]

Well I'm still here! Animal Kingdom today. It's been just as great today as yesterday. Again I like not having to run and pray for fast passes. I liked doing them ahead of time and not worrying once I arrived. I've ridden EE twice and still have a rider swap remaining. I've rode dinosaur twice and triceratops spin more times than I can count (prob 4). Also we have ride safari twice. I still have FP for rapids! We also did fast pass for characters!

You're not having as much fun as you think you are...or at least, not for the reasons you think...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We ate at starring rolls- yep I ate cupcake for lunch lol.

Glad your strategies (FP+ and otherwise!) worked well for you! Now, I would consider the day a success JUST because of the Starring Rolls cupcake for lunch... mmmmm... LOL!! I'm adding that to my official plan for Oct!!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Well I'm still here! Animal Kingdom today. It's been just as great today as yesterday. Again I like not having to run and pray for fast passes. I liked doing them ahead of time and not worrying once I arrived. I've ridden EE twice and still have a rider swap remaining. I've rode dinosaur twice and triceratops spin more times than I can count (prob 4). Also we have ride safari twice. I still have FP for rapids! We also did fast pass for characters!

This is what I liked best about it last month as well. We still did rope drop, but used FP+ in the afternoon and not feeling like we needed to rush for a FP was nice.

 

[Kristine316]

I don't understand why when someone has a positive FP+ experience, its like a race to see who can post first and 'inform' an OP of why FP+ wasn't why they had a good time, rode a ride, etc. but give some other reason. Or come up with silly things like 'what will you do without rider swap?' Did I miss that post? In all honesty, can someone direct me to a link about them taking away that perk? I dont mean to come off as a smart a** but I just get so tired of seeing this happen. I was told a while back when I was reading a thread about the number of negative posts FP+ was generating that if I didn't like reading about it just to skip over those particular posts. Here is a poster who had positive things to say and it still turns into a contest to see who can beat down the OP into saying, 'Oh, you're right. My opinion was invalid and wrong. You win. Oh mighty Disney commandos'. I think its incredibly frustrating to those of us who, in spite of FP+ (as so many like to say) still love our Disney time and actually see the benefit of it. Everyone tours differently. Everyone has different priorities on a Disney vacation. Not everyone has taken a dozen trips with and without FP+. Can't we all just be nice to each other?

OP, I'm glad you had a great trip! Sounds like FP+ AND RS made for a fabulous time Looking forward to our October trip!

This works both ways. There are threads where someone is complaining about their experience with FP+ and you will have posters reply to tell them why they are wrong and how none of the issues are related to FP+.

I can imagine it is pretty frustrating to be told why you are wrong about something and that what you experienced didn't actually happen.

There is a ton of passion on both sides of this issue and what anyone claims about one side they could just as easily claim about the other

 

[klitteral2009]

You're not having as much fun as you think you are...or at least, not for the reasons you think...

THIS! So much This!!!

 

[taraaplin]

My goodness. Wondering how many people checked my profile to make sure I wasn't a troll lol!