Here now, the magics gone because of FP+

[dixiegirl]

7 attractions, a table service meal and assorted wandering in 4.5 hours? Sounds pretty productive to me.

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I agree with you on this but I guess it's all relative. Personally I feel that is a pretty good morning. I also don't tend to have large expectations each day since there are so many circumstances that can drastically change a day. I've learned that if I do that I'm setting myself up for stress and potential disappointment - I just try to enjoy my day while trying to keep to my schedule as best as I can. I will say though that it would take FAR more than this for me to say "I'm done" but again - relative.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

The magic can be gone for one person while still being very much there for another, and that doesn't make the first person's complaint less valid.

I still hate FP+, but the magic was there for me and my family during our recent MK visit, because nothing went wrong for us and we had different demands than many people.

I did not mess with our FP+ once we arrived, we were fortunate not to have any technology problems, the crowds were about a 6 (not as bad as I feared for spring break), we arrived at rope drop, the only really "high demand" attractions we wanted were Peter Pan and Splash (no meet and greets), and we managed to find a few shorter lines in the evening (including walking by HM during a brief lull when it dropped down to 15 min wait). Absent any one of those factors, and we would have had a much less magical day.

Counting three repeats, in one day we experienced nineteen attractions + the new parade, electrical parade, playing in the Soak Station and Dumbo's tent, two rides on the train, and Wishes. But, with more FP, we would have added BTMRR (just for me, my kids won't ride it) + second rides on PP and Under the Sea. Legacy FP would have been better for my family, especially if we'd have avoided our only long line (35 min for PotC), even though it was still a magical day.

 

[surferdave]

Other than the A&E FP the thing the OP did were all low hanging fruit on a rope drop day. Based on my experience fighting with the system when it's not cooperating I can imagine being frustrated and exhausted if that's all I got done by noon after getting there at rope drop.

 

[Tenstew]

My dd and I are here now too and yes, the MK was very crowded yesterday. There are tons of tour groups and cheerleaders and school groups here right now.
HOWEVER, with that said, I so far am impressed with the FP+. And actually we went to EMH last night to MK and had a blast.

We got there around 7 pm, had dinner at Pecos Bills, rode Pooh, Dumbo, Barnstormer, and Space Mtn. Then watched Wishes, Rode Buzz, Got a snack, enjoyed the 2nd MSEP at 11, then the fun really began.

After the parade, we did Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, BTMRR (twice) and Jungle Cruise.

We had a blast. All of this with NO FP+ and even though crowded.

BTW, we spent the morning at DHS and that is where we used our FP+. We were able to change one of our FP+, no problem. We are enjoying so far.

 

[ajh88]

That chart (and many trip reports here) also reflects that the waits for rides that used to not have FP have increased. Some rather dramatically. Specifically, average waits for Haunted Mansion doubled and PotC nearly doubled.

You're right. I didn't fully clarify my thought there. Legacy lines aren't impacted nearly as much as lines new to FP, hence my idea that if you tour by riding Space or Splash or BTMRR multiple times at RD, you might not see as much of a change as the Fantasyland rope droppers. I will see for myself how it goes next month!

 

[Angel Ariel]

The magic can be gone for one person while still being very much there for another, and that doesn't make the first person's complaint less valid.

Exactly! Magic is very subjective. I may not like fp+, but I highly doubt fp+ is going to change the feeling I get when I enter MK and see the castle. That is the magic for me. For someone else, it may be riding as much as they possibly can, and that's ok!

 

[kbelle8995]

I didn't care for FP+ either. It's just not my way of touring. Constantly pulling out my phone to check the time.

Won't use it again.

 

[3Gsandme]

Other than the A&E FP the thing the OP did were all low hanging fruit on a rope drop day. Based on my experience fighting with the system when it's not cooperating I can imagine being frustrated and exhausted if that's all I got done by noon after getting there at rope drop.

I guess the question really is; did the OP choose those rides or were those the rides she felt she had to ride because wait times=no other choice. I have smaller kids (a 4 and 7 year old along with my teen) and that would be a pretty productive morning for us. I understand that's not the case for everyone.

I think these sort of posts are so difficult. Everyone wants more data. What did she try to do? What did she hope to do? What did she usually do that made this trip to unsatisfactory? I know I'm interested. In looking at touring plans, lines on the mountains seemed pretty good before noon on Saturday. Before non BTMRR averaged around 20 minutes which, IMO, isn't a long wait (YMMV), Splash was under 30 minutes. Space was pretty busy, but still could have been done under 30 minutes, too, in the morning. I know that for the more commando WDW vets those are long waits, but, again, they don't seem bad to me. I think using a FP+ on the busy character greet during rope drop was probably not the best strategy because that's just a longer wait even with FP+

In any case, I'm sorry they OP didn't have a good time and I hope things improve if her vacation is continuing.

 

[ExBellhop]

Thank you to the posters who were nice in their comments.

Just wanted to call out the classiness of this reply from OP. I know there's still 5 pages of thread to go, but it was refreshing to see such a non-angry follow up from someone. Good work. Go enjoy your vacation

 

[magicbob]

You're right. I didn't fully clarify my thought there. Legacy lines aren't impacted nearly as much as lines new to FP, hence my idea that if you tour by riding Space or Splash or BTMRR multiple times at RD, you might not see as much of a change as the Fantasyland rope droppers. I will see for myself how it goes next month!

True. I think what has many people nonplussed is that, not only are they only bypassing 3 lines with FP+ (where they previously bypassed easily twice that many with the legacy system), but to add insult to injury, they are also having to wait in longer SB lines for the NON-headliners as well. Stuff that used to be practically walk-on is now seeing significant increases in wait times. I think factors such as this can certainly contribute to dissatisfaction.

 

[dawgsgirl]

Over the years, I had learned the rhythm and flow of the parks, especially MK. This rhythm literally flowed in my veins and was part of the magic for me. FP+ has changed the whole rhythm for me. It's not so much how many rides I can do, but more how to avoid the crowds and enjoy the park and not wait in lines. I am sure I can adjust, but for now the magic is just not the same. The magic is not gone, just greatly diminished. And it costs more!!

 

[tim123]

We did MK this morning. Prepark ADR, rope drop at Fantasyland ( what a joke ), couldn't swap out our later FP+ for Splash mountain at 10:00am. They were all gone. My morning was spent checking my phone for FP+. I'm over it. My vacation shouldn't be so stressful. Every ride had much longer than usual times, because of FP+. We managed Pooh, TLS, Dumbo, IaSW, HM, A&E (11:15fP), POTC and out of the park at 12:30pm. To me that's awful. I'm done after this trip.

You have got to be kidding. You did all that by noon? Including A&E? And there's no magic? Sorry but you seem like a grump. WDW is about making your own magic with family and enjoying life and fun. pirates and Haunted mansion and Dumbo and a nice meal and a character meeting and pooh and bla bal sounds like a blast to me…wish I had a loving fun experience like that..I sure as heck wouldn't complain and write I'm done…Id write I'm FUN!

 

[morethananyonex]

You have got to be kidding. You did all that by noon? Including A&E? And there's no magic? Sorry but you seem like a grump. WDW is about making your own magic with family and enjoying life and fun. pirates and Haunted mansion and Dumbo and a nice meal and a character meeting and pooh and bla bal sounds like a blast to me…wish I had a loving fun experience like that..I sure as heck wouldn't complain and write I'm done…Id write I'm FUN!

WDW is about making your own magic? Can't I do that at home for free? I don't need to go to WDW to spend time with my family, enjoy life, an have fun. Going to WDW is expensive, and it shouldn't be surprising if people expect that when they pay that much for something they should be happy with what they're getting.

If OP rode that many headliners in 3.5 hours (including lower crowd rope drop time) that would make sense. That's not what happened though. Many of those rides were previously rides that did not see long stand by waits, and especially not when you arrive at rope drop.

There's no need to call people grumps because you have different expectations when it comes to Disney than they do. People don't like it when they're called kool aid drinkers because of lower expectations, people with higher expectations don't need to be name called either.

 

[mom2rtk]

Over the years, I had learned the rhythm and flow of the parks, especially MK. This rhythm literally flowed in my veins and was part of the magic for me. FP+ has changed the whole rhythm for me. It's not so much how many rides I can do, but more how to avoid the crowds and enjoy the park and not wait in lines. I am sure I can adjust, but for now the magic is just not the same. The magic is not gone, just greatly diminished. And it costs more!!

Very well put. I think that sums it up for a lot of us.

WDW is about making your own magic? Can't I do that at home for free? I don't need to go to WDW to spend time with my family, enjoy life, an have fun. Going to WDW is expensive, and it shouldn't be surprising if people expect that when they pay that much for something they should be happy with what they're getting.

If OP rode that many headliners in 3.5 hours (including lower crowd rope drop time) that would make sense. That's not what happened though. Many of those rides were previously rides that did not see long stand by waits, and especially not when you arrive at rope drop.

There's no need to call people grumps because you have different expectations when it comes to Disney than they do. People don't like it when they're called kool aid drinkers because of lower expectations, people with higher expectations don't need to be name called either.

 

[EMode]

Over the years, I had learned the rhythm and flow of the parks, especially MK. This rhythm literally flowed in my veins and was part of the magic for me. FP+ has changed the whole rhythm for me. It's not so much how many rides I can do, but more how to avoid the crowds and enjoy the park and not wait in lines. I am sure I can adjust, but for now the magic is just not the same. The magic is not gone, just greatly diminished. And it costs more!!

That is a really nice way of putting it. I think most people here are return guests, some who have been many many times before. We all have our own way of touring WDW that makes it magical for us, when you throw a monkey wrench in that plan it is going to effect some of us. I'm not sure what people don't get about that. Maybe they have been drinking too much kool-aid or maybe they don't own any other Disney glasses but the rose colored ones but really to say things like "you sound like a grump" to the OP because she feels the magic is gone? Just be happy that the changes of FP+ haven't effected your touring and enjoyment of WDW.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I'm here now and having a great time. It depends on your touring style and perhaps your personality. If you are someone who is very OCD and likes to travel by checking things off on a list, then you might not like it.

It is busier than I'm used to, but we normally go in slow times so I was kind of prepared for that. Lots of school groups and cheer/dance groups. I was worried when I saw that but they have been extremely well behaved. No chanting, or annoying teenage girl behavior in excess. Well done.

My 69 year old dad rode TOT with me for the first time..loved it.

Today is AK..

 

[tim123]

WDW is about making your own magic? Can't I do that at home for free? I don't need to go to WDW to spend time with my family, enjoy life, an have fun. Going to WDW is expensive, and it shouldn't be surprising if people expect that when they pay that much for something they should be happy with what they're getting.

If OP rode that many headliners in 3.5 hours (including lower crowd rope drop time) that would make sense. That's not what happened though. Many of those rides were previously rides that did not see long stand by waits, and especially not when you arrive at rope drop.

There's no need to call people grumps because you have different expectations when it comes to Disney than they do. People don't like it when they're called kool aid drinkers because of lower expectations, people with higher expectations don't need to be name called either.

My grandmother used to say "can I have it all"? When we asked for more pancakes before there was a WDW and the country was a different place.
The poster used several condescending remarks.ie 'You've got to be kidding' "I'm done" basically saying "THIS SUCKS"
Sorry i don't believe doing all that by noon when the old fast pass system had a two hour window and depending on how busy the parks are..etc…

she seems grumpy to me period! I didn't call her anything vicious ,,,her post was grumpy and it seemed to me she did a whole heck of a lot in a couple hours…CAN I HAVE IT ALL? I'm so entitled! I paid and I'm owed it! "Oh beautiful for spacious skys for amber waves of grain…for purple mountains….."
Yahhhhh I want MORE!

 

[EMode]

My grandmother used to say "can I have it all"? When we asked for more pancakes before there was a WDW and the country was a different place.
The poster used several condescending remarks.ie 'You've got to be kidding' "I'm done" basically saying "THIS SUCKS"
Sorry i don't believe doing all that by noon when the old fast pass system had a two hour window and depending on how busy the parks are..etc…

she seems grumpy to me period! I didn't call her anything vicious ,,,her post was grumpy and it seemed to me she did a whole heck of a lot in a couple hours…CAN I HAVE IT ALL? I'm so entitled! I paid and I'm owed it! "Oh beautiful for spacious skys for amber waves of grain…for purple mountains….."
Yahhhhh I want MORE!

You better put your phone away before the teacher catches you with it.

 

[magicbob]

You better put your phone away before the teacher catches you with it.

I don't care who you are. That's funny right there.

 

[tim123]

You better put your phone away before the teacher catches you with it.

ok