I feel sorry for all the people..........

[ArwenMarie]

We planned our trip to accommodate meeting up with various friends during the course of our vacation. We have planned our 'meeting up' days pretty much around what they want to or are able to do. There were three families plus some local friends. One family discovered FP+, set up their MDE account, discovered they can't pre book and were not happy. I encouraged them to plan out their days in the meantime to make it easier and said we would change our FP's on the day to suit them if they can't get what we have. After nearly 2 months of working on it, I got a call the other night saying they have decided to cancel and go elsewhere as it's too much work and makes things too difficult and scheduled for them. One of the other families have canceled their onsite package and booked offsite and now purchased Universal and other tickets. They will meet us offsite for dinner one evening. The other group of friends had booked to stay at the same resort at us and we planned out 3 days together. She had made her ADR's and we were working on FP reservation plans together. I got a message from her via Facebook last night saying she felt too bad about it to even call me to break the news but they are heading elsewhere and have canceled. The rigid scheduling is too much for her and she's been struggling with the website and app. FWIW this is a family who regularly visits and stays onsite so they were not planning in blissful ignorance. We now have one day at MK with one of the families. Aside from that, we are meeting our friends who live in the Orlando area and that's it. I'm disappointed, DD is really sad about not getting to see her friends but what can I say to them? Nothing much. I understand where they are coming from.

Sorry about the long rant about it, but the I am really disappointed about it. The point is, it doesn't seem to matter how often people go or whether it is their first visit, this is one heck of a complex task, planning a vacation with this level of rigid structure. Boo to the new system

Boo is right. That really stinks.

I think you make a really good point. I think that FP+ is really putting the amount of planning over-the-top, even for people who like to plan. It's like you have to be willing to plan to the extreme but at the same time not care if it all falls apart on the day of.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Boo is right. That really stinks.

I think you make a really good point. I think that FP+ is really putting the amount of planning over-the-top, even for people who like to plan. It's like you have to be willing to plan to the extreme but at the same time not care if it all falls apart on the day of.

FP+ eliminates the need for planning, because all the planning in the world doesn't really help you. It's purpose is so that all guests can visit 3 attractions with no wait.

 

[Planogirl]

FP+ eliminates the need for planning, because all the planning in the world doesn't really help you. It's purpose is so that all guests can visit 3 attractions with no wait.

What do you do when you're not riding the three rides though? That doesn't take long.

Also, if you want to meet up with others then what? Just meet in between rides?

 

[mom2rtk]

What do you do when you're not riding the three rides though? That doesn't take long.

Also, if you want to meet up with others then what? Just meet in between rides?

I guess Disney wants you to shop with your friends in between rides?

 

[JeremyGNJ]

What do you do when you're not riding the three rides though? That doesn't take long.

Also, if you want to meet up with others then what? Just meet in between rides?

Wait in line like everyone else at every other amusement park there is?

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I have to agree that FP+ has pretty much killed Grand Gathering/Big Group type trips. We had initially been trying to put together a trip like that for June. Some family were staying offsite, some where staying onsite. I knew some wouldn't want to plan in advance, but that was ok. Now, I don't see how we could coordinate it. Either we all agree to the (rather rigid) plan in advance, or we can't be together. When the plans started to fall apart I didn't push it because it was getting to be a logistical nightmare. We are going to go somewhere easier this summer instead.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My husband has a friend who moved to Florida. He got his first FL resident AP. He was used to the old FP systems and had no idea about the new FP+.

He drove the hour and a half to Flower and Garden Festival. He tried to get a FP for Soarin' but said the kiosk lines were too long. He walked around the F&G Festival and then drove home.

On the way home he called my husband and told him that he was annoyed and disappointed with Disney.
He said he wanted to go to one day of SWW but now doesn't think he'll go because FP+ is "too difficult to deal with" (his words.)

 

[GillianP1301]

For those of you expressing difficulty with FP+ and planning with a larger group, I do see your point. Honestly, I dislike travelling with large groups anywhere, with our without fastpasses, so I just don't do it. But, for those that do... why not just choose your FP+ selections the day of once you're all together? Would that not be the same as when you went to the park and all got FP- for the same time? The other option is you can split up for a little bit to cover your own FP+ selections. I would think this may happen anyway, maybe not everyone likes Space Mountain, as an example.