I am now ANGRY!!!!

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You might be right. We had no problem getting anything else. We got 7DMT for both our MR days A&E was the only hard to get one

My experience thus far is that I have had no trouble getting 6 FP for mine train checking anywhere between 6 and 8am at the 30 day mark.

Perhaps Christmas Day, I might not have that luck, but I didn't really try.

I sincerely doubt that mine train at 60 days would be gone by the time someone wakes up in the morning. Do I have proof of that? Not really except that fastpasses have been available at 30 days for is in the morning when I checked at a reasonable hour.

A character meet and greet and a viewing spot for a parade and fireworks would certainly be an issue. But it is an issue at midnight or 1am as well. Supply is extremely limited and tantamount to trying and score front row seats to a popular concert. To me--that is not worth any strong emotions for missing out because odds were never in the guests favor. This is *my* opinion. It is too lottery like to be so emotionally invested into those choices.

 

[mom2rtk]

What do you think park opening would be like at MK if A&E and 7DMT both issued paper FPs that were made available same day on a first come, first served, basis? Do you think that maybe that would raise some safety concerns?

Only if people chose to engage. With a full day's complement of FPs in the system I would do what I used to do for TSMM and wait 30-45 minutes for the crush of people to clear.

And I imagine it wouldn't be any worse than they experience daily for this at DCA right now.

 

[lauradis]

I think most would agree that middle of the night is an unusual choice if you are concerned about "convenience".

And "first come, first served"? Nah. It would never work.

Our beloved paper fp where first come,first served and we all know how well that worked for tm.

 

[mom2rtk]

Our beloved paper fp where first come,first served and we all know how well that worked for tm.

You'll have to speak for yourself. I never had an issue at TSMM. We always waited half an hour or so to let the crowds clear.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

First of all, part of my point is that it ISN'T any different, but it involves something for which more is at stake. But, for some reason Disney is being held to a higher standard.

But, more importantly, while Disney may not announce and publicize a time, the practice is pretty firmly established and can be discovered by someone who looks into it. Has anyone ever tried calling Disney and asking what time their FP window opens? If someone cared enough about it, maybe they could find out that way instead of relying on a forum like the Dis.

It sounds, to me, that they go for a literal 30 days based on the 24 hour clock. At midnight, the new day begins. No reason to hold out for "more convenient time" if the new day begins at midnight.

Now--I am not IT, but it sounds like they need all parks to be closed before the system will activate without glitches.

Now, someone with experience may suggest that is an easy resolve and unnecessary. But unless they work for Disney or land a contract to upgrade that system, then it is opinion and not fact.

As for calling Disney to ask--I think we would all be told 30 or 60 days which is factually correct.

 

[Cormoran]

First of all, part of my point is that it ISN'T any different, but it involves something for which more is at stake. But, for some reason Disney is being held to a higher standard.

But, more importantly, while Disney may not announce and publicize a time, the practice is pretty firmly established and can be discovered by someone who looks into it. Has anyone ever tried calling Disney and asking what time their FP window opens? If someone cared enough about it, maybe they could find out that way instead of relying on a forum like the Dis.

Yup, I did this for my upcoming April vacation. Actually I on-line chatted. We're staying at the Swan. So the first customer service rep insisted that my window would not open until 30 mark, but she didn't give me a date. Since everyone knows, (who has privy to the secret handshakes) that if you don't get the right answer you try again. The second person did confirm it was 60 days out and MDE would update on that exact date, she also provided the date.
Another Disney tribal knowledge tidbit: if you don't think you were given the right answer the first time, try again.

 

[wisblue]

First, and I'm trying not to be too cynical here, but I don't know if one would get a straight answer from the telephone operators. They don't exactly have the greatest reputation for accuracy. Besides, there is always going to be the closing caveat: "...but operating hours are always subject to change so you should keep monitoring the situation." Which brings me to...

Second, this would practicality force people to phone 61(or 31) days in advance. Assume WDW gets 45,000 people at the MK in a given day, 40,000 at Epcot and 30,000 each at the other two parks. Do they want 40,000 "heads of households" calling each day?

No, they wouldn't want that, but it wouldn't happen. First, it's only a very small percentage of all guests (a small percentage that is dramatically overrepresented on the Dis) that cares enough and is organized enough to bother calling about it. I would bet that even a high percentage of guests who try to make FP+ reservations on the first day possible are more than happy to do it when they get around to it that day instead of waiting up until midnight the night before. And the results those guests get are likely not noticeably different from the results they would have gotten had they stayed up until midnight.

Sometimes blissful ignorance is better than getting angry about something as trivial as whether or not you get a FP for one thing.

 

[JimmyV]

For all we know, there might be something that locks the system into only holding up to 60 days of FP+ data and is dependent on the closing time of the last park. Wouldn't be a good design, but you never know.

But "midnight" is not typically the closing time of the last park. On most days, it is much earlier. 5:00 for AK. 8:00 for DHS. 9:00 for Epcot. And anywhere between 7:00-10:00 for MK. If they want to tie it to actual closing times, we'd do far better than what we have now.

 

[JimmyV]

No, they wouldn't want that, but it wouldn't happen. First, it's only a very small percentage of all guests (a small percentage that is dramatically overrepresented on the Dis) that cares enough and is organized enough to bother calling about it. I would bet that even a high percentage of guests who try to make FP+ reservations on the first day possible are more than happy to do it when they get around to it that day instead of waiting up until midnight the night before. And the results those guests get are likely not noticeably different from the results they would have gotten had they stayed up until midnight.

Sometimes blissful ignorance is better than getting angry about something as trivial as whether or not you get a FP for one thing.

I'm a little confused. Earlier you suggested that calling Disney was the solution. Now you are saying that people wouldn't or shouldn't avail themselves of the best solution. Seems inconsistent.

 

[Laketravis]

Gotta take a few steps back to look at what is causing such an uproar and feverish debate; kuddos to Disney for not only conditioning it's guests to experience a sense of euphoria when obtaining a reservation for a theme park ride a month or two in advance, they've gone beyond that and actually achieved instilling a huge sense of disappointment in the absence of the expected neutral stimulus that signals the availability of the conditioned response.

That tiny little accomplishment has a powerful effect that most corporations will spend a lifetime of effort and never achieve.

If I weren't already over my asset allocation in equities I'd buy more Disney stock.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

But "midnight" is not typically the closing time of the last park. On most days, it is much earlier. 5:00 for AK. 8:00 for DHS. 9:00 for Epcot. And anywhere between 7:00-10:00 for MK. If they want to tie it to actual closing times, we'd do far better than what we have now.

But then you would have windows opening at 31 nd 61 days.

And since closing times vary, then you would have a bouncing ball to follow where today books at one time and the next 3 days open at 3 different times. Talk about frustration.

 

[clsteve]

You'd think so, but you never know what the internal workings of the databases are doing and how they all talk to each other. For all we know, there might be something that locks the system into only holding up to 60 days of FP+ data and is dependent on the closing time of the last park. Wouldn't be a good design, but you never know.

Yep.
It's the 1am part that points to the database and gives us some insight into something very important. There is a separate working data set for the Parks (maybe each Park) each day. The cutover point has to be after Park close. The previous day's db then ceases to be live.

Lot's of reasons to do it that way- separates all of the day of, in-Park changes by guests and staff (like when a ride goes down and they're shifting your times later of to another option) or in-Park queries and changes, etc. --- all of those things you don't want impacting performance of the larger sets that future guests are using for ressies.

It also gives them the ability to do any "magic" to the next days data between 1am and opening. Like perhaps load any day of FP's or run the triggers that make changes based on unschduled maintenance, etc., without impacting the larger data set.

 

[fbb]

If I weren't already over my asset allocation in equities I'd buy more Disney stock.

I know how you could free up $20k over the next few years

 

[BugsDaddy]

I know that when I booked a package, I was sent a little magnet in my welcome package that I could put on my fridge that told me exactly on what day I could book FP and ADRs. I think there is a lot of paranoia driven on these boards that unless you book at exactly midnight, you will not get FPs for any of the rides you want. The only argument that can be made that is valid, IMO, is that you may not get the exact time that you had hoped for but that is symptom of anything you are trying to reserve that is popular. When people used to stand in lines to get tickets for events, or go online at a certain time, it's the same thing. You want to make sure that you get the exact seat that you want and are willing to jump through hoops to get that. It's not the fault of the artist or the concert promoter that the event is popular. If you are willling to accept what is left over after the frenzy, then you don't have to jump through hoops. It's a choice.

 

[Laketravis]

I know how you could free up $20k over the next few years

LOL! It's not that I'm lacking in powder, it's just that I'd overshoot my %.

 

[Angel Ariel]

My experience thus far is that I have had no trouble getting 6 FP for mine train checking anywhere between 6 and 8am at the 30 day mark.

Perhaps Christmas Day, I might not have that luck, but I didn't really try.

I sincerely doubt that mine train at 60 days would be gone by the time someone wakes up in the morning. Do I have proof of that? Not really except that fastpasses have been available at 30 days for is in the morning when I checked at a reasonable hour.

A character meet and greet and a viewing spot for a parade and fireworks would certainly be an issue. But it is an issue at midnight or 1am as well. Supply is extremely limited and tantamount to trying and score front row seats to a popular concert. To me--that is not worth any strong emotions for missing out because odds were never in the guests favor. This is *my* opinion. It is too lottery like to be so emotionally invested into those choices.

I think it is highly.dependent on when.one is at Disney, whether sdmt is gone at 60 days. And I'm *not* referring to high crowd days. I'm referring to days with short hours and also days that have short hours + parties.

A&e was not available at all for my trip at midnight at 60 days. 7dmt was gone for my entire trip 5 mins after I signed in. I think this had a lot to do with traveling when parks are closing at 9pm/11pm, and have parties that close it at 7pm on a few of the days.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Gotta take a few steps back to look at what is causing such an uproar and feverish debate; kuddos to Disney for not only conditioning it's guests to experience a sense of euphoria when obtaining a reservation for a theme park ride a month or two in advance, they've gone beyond that and actually achieved instilling a huge sense of disappointment in the absence of the expected neutral stimulus that signals the availability of the conditioned response.

That tiny little accomplishment has a powerful effect that most corporations will spend a lifetime of effort and never achieve.

If I weren't already over my asset allocation in equities I'd buy more Disney stock.

The popularity of the ride drives the necessity for a system to manage that, not the other way around. I love the Big Corporate Monster conspiracy theories but give it a rest.

 

[staceyeileen]

I think it is highly.dependent on when.one is at Disney, whether sdmt is gone at 60 days. And I'm *not* referring to high crowd days. I'm referring to days with short hours and also days that have short hours + parties.

A&e was not available at all for my trip at midnight at 60 days. 7dmt was gone for my entire trip 5 mins after I signed in. I think this had a lot to do with traveling when parks are closing at 9pm/11pm, and have parties that close it at 7pm on a few of the days.

Just out of curiosity, how big was your party?

 

[wisblue]

I'm a little confused. Earlier you suggested that calling Disney was the solution. Now you are saying that people wouldn't or shouldn't avail themselves of the best solution. Seems inconsistent.

Yes, I think you are confused. I said earlier that calling Disney would be a possible solution. Later I said that a lot of people WOULDN'T call if only because they don't care enough to do it, or even think to do it. I don't think I ever said that they SHOULDN'T call.

Where is the inconsistency?

 

[cakebaker]

If you are willling to accept what is left over after the frenzy, then you don't have to jump through hoops. It's a choice.

Sounds dangerously close to first come, first served to me. At least they're giving you the option of being ahead of the pack. You don't have to take it just because it's there. Imagine how well the system would work if they actively advertised that the window to book opened at 9 am every day.