How I Hate FastPass+

[Davis2902]

In a month I will be using FP+ for the first time and until I use it I really have to judgement on it. I have already scheduled all rides and we do park hoppers but that is so we can go to AK,HS,EP and always park hop back to MK to end the day. We have always RD'ed and used FP's mid morning, ate lunch, left the park till a 7-8pm return and stayed till park close. This has always worked and I will see if it does now. By the way I have walked onto more headliners without FP during parades and wishes than you could shake a stick at.

 

[jomass]

I agree with the op. And I'm a planner even. Half the fun of vacation for me is the planning. But Disney has taken it to a whole new stratosphere. So much so that I don't see myself coming back again any time soon. It's ridiculous to have wake up at 1:00 am a month ahead of time only to find out that the FP you want has an opening at 10:00 pm or better yet there isn't even one to be had. Then if you dared to decide to take a trip there any closer than 6 months out, you'll be hard pressed to eat anywhere at a reasonable hour, if at all. So it's turkey legs on a bench and cold fries in your 78 minute SB line for tiki birds. We even have to resort to third party sites like ADR sniper just to have a shot. How sad is that? Even worse is that I am considering taking those pre park opening breakfast reservations as an opportunity to get in the parks early and not even eat. It's worth the $10 fee just to be able to get A JUMP on the attractions that I paid $100+ for without spending most of my day in SB lines.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I love Disney! That is all!

 

[smitch425]

Still, they really seem to want me to come back -- I've received 8 pins since the first of this year...

They must have been repeats. There have only been two released. Lol

 

[DebbieB]

I was never at Disney during the old FP system so I don't know the plus and minuses of it. Was just curious how people used the old FP system that made it so much better then the new system? Since FP+ is the only system I know, and I am a planner, I honestly don't seem to mind it.

I liked the old system up to the time that they started enforcing the return time. Then it became inflexible, you were a slave to the return time clock. Take it (the time) or leave it if it didn't fit in your plans. With FP+, you can choose the time of day you want to do an attraction. I've been going to WDW for over 20 years and love it!

 

[WillAustin]

Apparently they don't care about me.

On the upside, I can continue my many years long reign as president of the NO PIN club.

I've never got one either.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've never got one either.

That gets you automatic membership into the NO PIN club.

 

[Planogirl]

I've gotten them steadily including one recently and I have no idea why. I've never gotten one for DL though.

We did used to stay onsite often and now it's a rare occurrence. I wonder if that might have something to do with it?

 

[macraven]

2 of my sons get the pin codes frequently

i don't.

sour grapes here as i am the one that is treating them for their rooms and stay onsite......

 

[mom2rtk]

I've gotten them steadily including one recently and I have no idea why. I've never gotten one for DL though.

We did used to stay onsite often and now it's a rare occurrence. I wonder if that might have something to do with it?

I hope you're not offended if we can't let you into the NO PIN club.

It's not as fun as it sounds though.

 

[5kidsmommy]

We went in January 2014 and loved FP+. We totally felt we could be spontaneous which was good because as soon as I heard the chanting and the flags we turned the other way. Heck my husband and I decided last minute one day to leave the kids at the campsite and went into MK. We even decided to go to Liberty Tree for dinner and had no problem getting in, although we did have a 30 minute wait which I don't think is too bad.

This was before 7DMT so we didn't have that to contend with. We were able to go on every ride in the park multiple times, except for Splash Mountain because it was closed for refurbishing. I am going back in December this year hoping to have the same experience or better which shouldn't be an issue because we did all of the above with a party of seven which isn't exactly easy to get around a park.

Sorry the OP had a tough time. I wouldn't dream of going to Disney in the busy season, we won't go in the summer, nor will I go around a holiday. I don't like crowds so I avoid those times. If my only choice was to go during peak season I'd find someplace else to spend my money. But that's just me.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Oh I am also in the no pin club…boohoohoo but we are campers so I'm used to be neglected by Disney.

 

[TheDisGuy]

I have yet to see a thread claimimg FP+ was the sole reason for having a good trip.
But I do see people falsely place blame on FP+ when things dont meet their inflated expectations.

There have been plenty, January was awesome "We LOVED FP+. FP+ was amazing, we didn't have to stand in lines at all. The longest line we stood in was 10 mins. I don't understand why people complained about this system, its absolutely fantastic" ... quite a few of those posts. On crowd 1, 2, and 3 days. We have seen a bunch of them for the last year, but haven't seen you feel the need to point out that it was likely crowds, not FP+ which made their trip so awesome.

 

[TheDisGuy]

We went in January 2014 and loved FP+. We totally felt we could be spontaneous which was good because as soon as I heard the chanting and the flags we turned the other way. Heck my husband and I decided last minute one day to leave the kids at the campsite and went into MK. We even decided to go to Liberty Tree for dinner and had no problem getting in, although we did have a 30 minute wait which I don't think is too bad.

This was before 7DMT so we didn't have that to contend with. We were able to go on every ride in the park multiple times, except for Splash Mountain because it was closed for refurbishing. I am going back in December this year hoping to have the same experience or better which shouldn't be an issue because we did all of the above with a party of seven which isn't exactly easy to get around a park.

Sorry the OP had a tough time. I wouldn't dream of going to Disney in the busy season, we won't go in the summer, nor will I go around a holiday. I don't like crowds so I avoid those times. If my only choice was to go during peak season I'd find someplace else to spend my money. But that's just me.

Ironically there is one right above me ..... Not taking a shot at you at all 5Kids ... really. Just pointing out what I had just been talking about.

 

[Mindy Hall]

It worked out ok for our family last summer but overall I'm just not a big fan of choosing individual rides months in advance.

 

[CounselorX]

Ironically there is one right above me ..... Not taking a shot at you at all 5Kids ... really. Just pointing out what I had just been talking about.

The word you're looking for is "coincidentally," not "ironically" ... . It's not ironic at all.

 

[finedice]

Not lately. While I've enjoyed NFL (it's nice), Universal has been doing it better and faster. I still have hope that Disney will step up their game.

I don't believe that at all. Faster yes, better, no...

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is comparing the same exact week to the same exact week.

The same calendar week? Or the same Easter week?

 

[disneyjunkie]

The word you're looking for is "coincidentally," not "ironically" ... . It's not ironic at all.

We went in January 2014 and loved FP+. We totally felt we could be spontaneous which was good because as soon as I heard the chanting and the flags we turned the other way. Heck my husband and I decided last minute one day to leave the kids at the campsite and went into MK. We even decided to go to Liberty Tree for dinner and had no problem getting in, although we did have a 30 minute wait which I don't think is too bad.

This was before 7DMT so we didn't have that to contend with. We were able to go on every ride in the park multiple times, except for Splash Mountain because it was closed for refurbishing. I am going back in December this year hoping to have the same experience or better which shouldn't be an issue because we did all of the above with a party of seven which isn't exactly easy to get around a park.

Sorry the OP had a tough time. I wouldn't dream of going to Disney in the busy season, we won't go in the summer, nor will I go around a holiday. I don't like crowds so I avoid those times. If my only choice was to go during peak season I'd find someplace else to spend my money. But that's just me.

Some of us can only travel during peak times. The old system worked great regardless of the time of year. Maybe they should only offer the FP program during peak times.

We are on the bus heading back to MCO. This is the first time I'm leaving WDW without another trip booked.

 

[finedice]

I agree with the op. And I'm a planner even. Half the fun of vacation for me is the planning. But Disney has taken it to a whole new stratosphere. So much so that I don't see myself coming back again any time soon. It's ridiculous to have wake up at 1:00 am a month ahead of time only to find out that the FP you want has an opening at 10:00 pm or better yet there isn't even one to be had. Then if you dared to decide to take a trip there any closer than 6 months out, you'll be hard pressed to eat anywhere at a reasonable hour, if at all. So it's turkey legs on a bench and cold fries in your 78 minute SB line for tiki birds. We even have to resort to third party sites like ADR sniper just to have a shot. How sad is that? Even worse is that I am considering taking those pre park opening breakfast reservations as an opportunity to get in the parks early and not even eat. It's worth the $10 fee just to be able to get A JUMP on the attractions that I paid $100+ for without spending most of my day in SB lines.

I just don't buy these arguments - unless of course you are going during one of the few busiest weeks of the year. I have been able to get all the ADRs we wanted (including Ohana dinner - Saturday at 6:30 at 6 weeks out), change all my FPs at will (except A&E - and we don't FP fireworks), etc. We booked an average crowd level April week. You likely didn't need to get up for 1:00am, but were only convinced of that from reading the boards.