Hooray! I am staying offsite and was selected to test FastPass+!

[untitan]

I've been at WDW since last Saturday. I am staying offsite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and today I was granted full access to FastPass+ and I can reserve FP+ in advance! Here's how it happened.

Today, while entering the FassPass+ Kiosk area between Sleepy Hollow and the Hall of Presidents, a CM asked if I would be willing to answer some questions for market research and I agreed. She asked me a few quick questions something like:
Will you be in the parks after today?
Are you staying offsite?
Do you have mobile internet access?
Have you used FastPass+?

After I replied yes to all, she asked if I would like to help test the new FastPass+ system and I said "Absolutely". She directed me to a couple CM's inside, they took my email address, worked some magic on the iPad for a minute and said that I could book my FastPass+ selections for the rest of my trip online now. They gave me a one page brochure with some FastPass+ info and the website address for MDE. There was one other person there ahead of me that was also set up.

I went online tonight. The little "lock" icon was gone from the FastPass "Make Selections" button (previously, I would click this button and get a message like "You can not book selections until April...". Now, I am able to continue on and make FP+ selections. It works great and I have my selections reserved for tomorrow including Space and Big Thunder Mountain. FP+ on the mobile app works for me now too.

Here's some other info:
I was entering the building and hadn't scanned my tickets yet. I think I was just selected at random. If you are visiting the parks this week, maybe look for a CM hanging around a Kiosk area entrance with a clipboard (not an iPad) and walk near them.

Hopefully, this means FP+ is coming for all Offsite guests soon. FP+ worked pretty well for my family this week but I wasted a ton of valuable park time waiting in lines each morning to get our selections made (15-30 minutes). "Good" FP selections were gone by early afternoon so I was feeling the pressure to get to the parks early. We skipped FP+ altogether on our Animal Kingdom day because the kiosk lines were huge and then we waited 80 minutes to get on Safari.

I'm really excited because I can sleep in tomorrow.

 

[morethananyonex]

That's awesome to hear!

Glad they're on their way to pre booking for offsite guests. Saw how long the lines got for FP+ kiosks in the parks last week, I would hate to waste precious Disney time standing in those. Enjoy the rest of your trip

 

[ars0525]

I was at Epcot last Saturday and a CM stopped me for a survey when I came out of the photo shop by Spaceship Earth. I wasn't offered to test the FP+ but I have an AP and was only there for a quick visit. After that I did notice they had a lot of CMs trying to get surveys in the parks. I was also sent a follow up survey later that I completed at home.

 

[Vidia2]

I've been at WDW since last Saturday. I am staying offsite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and today I was granted full access to FastPass+ and I can reserve FP+ in advance! Here's how it happened. Today, while entering the FassPass+ Kiosk area between Sleepy Hollow and the Hall of Presidents, a CM asked if I would be willing to answer some questions for market research and I agreed. She asked me a few quick questions something like: Will you be in the parks after today? Are you staying offsite? Do you have mobile internet access? Have you used FastPass+? After I replied yes to all, she asked if I would like to help test the new FastPass+ system and I said "Absolutely". She directed me to a couple CM's inside, they took my email address, worked some magic on the iPad for a minute and said that I could book my FastPass+ selections for the rest of my trip online now. They gave me a one page brochure with some FastPass+ info and the website address for MDE. There was one other person there ahead of me that was also set up. I went online tonight. The little "lock" icon was gone from the FastPass "Make Selections" button (previously, I would click this button and get a message like "You can not book selections until April...". Now, I am able to continue on and make FP+ selections. It works great and I have my selections reserved for tomorrow including Space and Big Thunder Mountain. FP+ on the mobile app works for me now too. Here's some other info: I was entering the building and hadn't scanned my tickets yet. I think I was just selected at random. If you are visiting the parks this week, maybe look for a CM hanging around a Kiosk area entrance with a clipboard (not an iPad) and walk near them. Hopefully, this means FP+ is coming for all Offsite guests soon. FP+ worked pretty well for my family this week but I wasted a ton of valuable park time waiting in lines each morning to get our selections made (15-30 minutes). "Good" FP selections were gone by early afternoon so I was feeling the pressure to get to the parks early. We skipped FP+ altogether on our Animal Kingdom day because the kiosk lines were huge and then we waited 80 minutes to get on Safari. I'm really excited because I can sleep in tomorrow.

Congratulations!

So it looks like the "trigger" for offsite guests to begin booking will be actually beginning their trip. Makes a lot more sense than the ADR trigger which could just be canceled anyway.

 

[rimomma66]

What great luck for you! This is a step in the right direction and now maybe people will stop yammering about advance FP+ being only for onsite guests.

 

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

Best news I've heard related to offsite guests.
Keeping the faith, need a little

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Congratulations!

So it looks like the "trigger" for offsite guests to begin booking will be actually beginning their trip. Makes a lot more sense than the ADR trigger which could just be canceled anyway.

I'm not sure if I believe that. I don't think Disney is going to keep enough CMs in the parks to do this with off-site guest once they enter the park. That would be a whole other nightmare. I think 60 days is 60 days weather you are onsite or off. The only difference I would see happening is that if you have an onsite stay, you could book all of your FP+s 60 days from your first day....just like ADRs work now.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'm not sure if I believe that. I don't think Disney is going to keep enough CMs in the parks to do this with off-site guest once they enter the park. That would be a whole other nightmare. I think 60 days is 60 days weather you are onsite or off. The only difference I would see happening is that if you have an onsite stay, you could book all of your FP+s 60 days from your first day....just like ADRs work now.

Yeah, I agree. Just like offsite guests being forced to book in park only, it just doesn't fit with the goal of FP+. They want those offsite guests locked into their schedules as early as possible, possibly even more than onsite guests. Offsite guests are way more likely to stray away from Disney once in the area and more likely to need that extra push to spend more time at Disney.

I think the major differentiator should they choose to have one will be the number of FP+ given between offsite and onsite. I'm not even sure I believe that will happen. Otherwise, they want those offsite guests planning like crazy too

 

[Vidia2]

I'm not sure if I believe that. I don't think Disney is going to keep enough CMs in the parks to do this with off-site guest once they enter the park. That would be a whole other nightmare. I think 60 days is 60 days weather you are onsite or off. The only difference I would see happening is that if you have an onsite stay, you could book all of your FP+s 60 days from your first day....just like ADRs work now.

I guess we'll see eventually. Right now, for people included in this new test, it's day of plus the remainder of the ticket.

I wish I could remember how they tested onsite guests before giving the 60+ prebooking ability. Did they do day of plus remainder of stay or did they go straight to 60+? Too lazy to look at old posts.

 

[ParkHoppers]

This sounds like great news for offsite guests.

 

[rimomma66]

This coupled with the news that AP holders will be testing advanced FP+ makes me believe that Disney really wants this fully rolled out before Spring Break starts crushing down on them.

 

[supergoofy]

I don't know how Disney will do this for offsite guests but feel that

1) FP+ should be triggered 60 days ahead if a person makes an ADR.

2) Onsite guests will be allowed to do FP+ 60 days +10 like ADR's where offsite will have do it each day.

3) For those who do not book ADR's they will have to do FP+ in the park when they arrive and that would allow them to book rest of stay.

 

[morethananyonex]

I don't know how Disney will do this for offsite guests but feel that

1) FP+ should be triggered 60 days ahead if a person makes an ADR.

2) Onsite guests will be allowed to do FP+ 60 days +10 like ADR's where offsite will have do it each day.

3) For those who do not book ADR's they will have to do FP+ in the park when they arrive and that would allow them to book rest of stay.

Curious, is the ADR thing something that's been discussed? Why not keep it simple and anyone who links park tickets to a certain date can book "length of stay" after that date just like onsite?

 

[Vidia2]

I wonder why OP wasn't sent an email so she could do it in advance, if that's where it's headed? AP holders are being sent emails.

 

[wendybeth75]

Curious, is the ADR thing something that's been discussed? Why not keep it simple and anyone who links park tickets to a certain date can book "length of stay" after that date just like onsite?

This is a "perk" for onsite guests only I believe.

 

[morethananyonex]

This is a "perk" for onsite guests only I believe.

Sorry, I wasn't talking about the current system I was talking about FP+ for offsite guests. I'm not getting the link between making an ADR and that triggering FP+ booking ability.

Seems like the simpler and more accurate method would be requiring the guest to purchase tickets (like onsite guests have to) link them to a start date (just like the onsite guests check in date) and allow them to book a length of stay window after that. Disney locks people into their plans/gets their ticket money and guests get to book before they arrive in the park. Good for Disney and good for the guest.

 

[g-dad66]

Great first-hand report with lots of details!

Thanks for taking the time to let us know.

 

[supergoofy]

Curious, is the ADR thing something that's been discussed? Why not keep it simple and anyone who links park tickets to a certain date can book "length of stay" after that date just like onsite?

Can tickets bought 3rd party be linked?

If so then tickets would be much easier to do.


I still see offsite guests not getting FP as most(myself included until recently) didn't know tickets could be linked.

 

[stairstepmom]

That's awesome! I am not happy with the limitations of FP+, but so glad to hear that offsiters will have equal opportunity with onsiters

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I don't know how Disney will do this for offsite guests but feel that

1) FP+ should be triggered 60 days ahead if a person makes an ADR.

2) Onsite guests will be allowed to do FP+ 60 days +10 like ADR's where offsite will have do it each day.

3) For those who do not book ADR's they will have to do FP+ in the park when they arrive and that would allow them to book rest of stay.

Curious, is the ADR thing something that's been discussed? Why not keep it simple and anyone who links park tickets to a certain date can book "length of stay" after that date just like onsite?

There have been some of us that have ADRs but have never stayed onsite that saw the FP+ button appear on the Disney website last week. But tying off-site guest to only getting FP+ if they have an ADR will only make them making ADRs at 180 days, taking them from those that want them, and have them cancelling them after they set up their FP+s. Doesn't make sense for Disney to want people to do this.

Why are those that stay onsite so worried about off-site guest booking FP+s at 60 days. I hear over and over "but how will Disney know you are going to be in the park?". If they are worried about people that can book FP+s and never show up, there is much more to worry about with AP holders. Off-site guest can only book days for the amount of days on their ticket. And as I have heard over and over "if someone doesn't show for a FP+, then it just makes the SB line move faster". How about Disney forcing guest to book 3 FP+s when they only want 1. They aren't showing up for those extra 2 FPs either. The idea that there are thousands of people buying Disney tickets and sitting in front of their computer or smart phones to book FP+s they never plan to use is a bit silly. As I said, if this is a concern, AP holders would be a bigger concern than off-site guest.