I'm Done!!! Too Many Changes We Don't Like

[MarieA]

I'm glad to hear that SB lines are have been shorter this past week. My DD was at WDW from 10/7-10/13 and she said the SB lines were worse than when we used to visit in the end of August. She was part of the MB/FP+ testing. She said there were things she liked about the MB, however she did not care for FP+. I will reserve judgement until after my visit in May.

 

[redsbe]

WDW built FP+ to accommodate guests who would like the OPTION of planning their visit to avoid long lines at the most popular attractions, just like the long standing option of pre-booking ARD months ahead. Since anyone booking an onsite visit to WDW will get the MB and information on how to use it, including FP+, they can all take advantage. Plus you can CHOOSE to reserve FP+ well in advance, but also do so or change close to or during your visit. Some visitors will take advantage of the pre-planning to deal with the crowds, some will choose not to do so, just like some use RP but others do not. Either way they will get a WDW experience of their making. Information and knowledge are power that some visitors will use and others not.

 

[wisblue]

If someone knew nothing about WDW and just read some of the comments on this board, you would think that the introduction of FP+ has, by itself, turned WDW from (1) a place where anyone could stroll into the park at any time of day and any time of year and ride every ride in the place with no waiting, into (2) a place where you can't do ANYTHING unless you arrive at the crack of dawn and have every minute of your day planned out.

At worst, FP+ is a straw that seems to have broken some people's backs.

 

[dbramer]

Oh ... mine too. My "old days" included ticket booklets and deciding which E ticket rides were worth it.

But most people are lamenting "the days before FP+", so it's an easy comparison phrase!

Just had to chime in about the tickets, when E-ticket rides were really E-tickets that had to be surrendered...and you got what three in a booklet, something like that. Still have some A's and B's around somewhere....ahhh the "old days" indeed

 

[mm1971]

Between FP+, not being able to get FP- for at decent times unless there before RD, the changes to GAC/DAS, and the new upcoming ADR CC policy, I really think no more visits to WDW. No longer a vacation. Anybody else feel the same?

Our reasons for a vacation are to get away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and all the planning involved on a daily basis. Now we have to plan our attractions and ADR's even more-and make sure we don't forget to cancel ADRs far enough in advance to avoid a CC charge. Our vacation priorites are not wrong.

I understand your concern and there certainly are a lot of negative posts. I would reserve judgement until the final details are determined. Everything is still in testing and we all know that the testing process can be painful.

We did not get the chance to use FP+ and MB last trip, but we know several friends that have. I have heard nothing but great things from all of them. You are able to change attractions/times as your plans change from a kiosk or your mobile device. They'll work out the FP quantity issues.

If you make the decision that Disney is just not the experience you are looking for, then find what suits you better and go elsewhere. To be honest, waiting in a line to enjoy memories with my children does not bother me. We will go back until the kids decide they prefer something else or we find it to be not worth the cost. So far neither has been an issue for us.

Good luck in whatever vacation you choose.

 

[redsbe]

If someone knew nothing about WDW and just read some of the comments on this board, you would think that the introduction of FP+ has, by itself, turned WDW from (1) a place where anyone could stroll into the park at any time of day and any time of year and ride every ride in the place with no waiting, into (2) a place where you can't do ANYTHING unless you arrive at the crack of dawn and have every minute of your day planned out.

At worst, FP+ is a straw that seems to have broken some people's backs.

That is way I think it is important (as I have done on my posts) to make clear the difference between a typical WDW visit during peak crowds (holiday periods) versus less crowded park days, like now in late October through to Thanksgiving.

I am thinking most people who have never visited WDW would understand that visiting during summer or holidays is going to require some thought and careful planning, hopefully expressed by taking to WDW agents, travel agents or others they know who have been to WDW. A friend of our family went in September and we shared with her a number of tips to make the trip more enjoyable for her and her family.

FP+ is new and still in testing so the uncertainly and concern of regular WDW visitors is understandably high, my guess from now is in a new months when the MB and FP+ is fully operational and in the coming years, all visitors including new and regulars will have adjusted and MB and FP+ will, like many other WDW vacation tools, become widely accepted and used by many, and not some who see no need to do so. Especially as we hear from more WDW regulars coming back from trips with positive experiences with MB and FP+, which you are already seeing on the board here.

No one like change so their is a natural reaction to be concerned and feel that the WDW experience will be harder, not as fun, and more difficult, which in the long run likely will not be the case for the majority of visitors including both 1st time and regular visitors. Keeping in mind FP+ is not a requirement for having a great vacation at WDW even when crowded, unless your expectation is to walk on TSMM multiple times over the Christmas holidays (as if that was even possible with just FP-)

 

[lugnut33]

If someone knew nothing about WDW and just read some of the comments on this board, you would think that the introduction of FP+ has, by itself, turned WDW from (1) a place where anyone could stroll into the park at any time of day and any time of year and ride every ride in the place with no waiting, into (2) a place where you can't do ANYTHING unless you arrive at the crack of dawn and have every minute of your day planned out.

At worst, FP+ is a straw that seems to have broken some people's backs.

I like your post.

It's not just planning your day out to get on the attractions, but it's also to maximize the money being spent. As people spend more and more on a Disney vacation people will expect more value for that money.

 

[redsbe]

I like your post.

It's not just planning your day out to get on the attractions, but it's also to maximize the money being spent. As people spend more and more on a Disney vacation people will expect more value for that money.

And some who pre-book FP+ in advance to guarantee 3 rides at the most popular rides in a park each day will see that as more value for their money.

 

[Angel Ariel]

And some who pre-book FP+ in advance to guarantee 3 rides at the most popular rides in a park each day will see that as more value for their money.

That is, of course, assuming there is enough fp+ capacity for the "most popular attractions" for everyone to be guaranteed rides on those attractions. I am skeptical about that, given how fast the most popular rides run out.

If I went online at 60 days and wasn't able to prebook tsmm and soarin, I would not see fp+ as more value for my money than fp-. And yes, given that I've gotten online at 6am 180 days out to make adrs for the most popular restaurants and been.unable to get an adr for my family, I do think it is likely that there will be similar experiences with prebooking the "most popular attractions"

 

[mummabear]

- ADR cc policy. This is a major annoyance for me. I think it is a greedy move by Disney and it really ticksw me off. I don't want to be bound financially to where I am going to eat dinner every day on vacation. I will no longer make ADRs..

You are only bound finanically to the adrs you choose to make, Disney does not require you to make a booking for every dinner.
I think this change is great because the tables are blocked out by people making reservations at 2 places with the intention of only going to which ever one suits them on the day, taking this booking from someone who is willing to commit to it.
Really its just common courtesy.

 

[kvogel11202]

So basically the OP is saying if they cannot ride everything they want immediately, multiple times they don't want to go. This cracks me up. People- if you cannot get a FP you can wait in the regular line. TSM generally runs out of FP- by 10am (at least that has been my experience) so if I can reserve my FP+ and not have to run to the back of the park first thing to get a FP I am happy. Why do you NEED to ride something 4 times a day to be happy? There is so much else to do at WDW - stop and smell the roses. Don't get me wrong, I love rides, and it's great to get to experience them too, but it doesn't make or break my trip. I'm excited to test out the Magic Bands, and we only set up one day of FP+ because that is what works for us. If you choose not to spend your vaction at Disney that is your right for sure, but don't think you'll be missed.

 

[mom2rtk]

So basically the OP is saying if they cannot ride everything they want immediately, multiple times they don't want to go. This cracks me up. People- if you cannot get a FP you can wait in the regular line. TSM generally runs out of FP- by 10am (at least that has been my experience) so if I can reserve my FP+ and not have to run to the back of the park first thing to get a FP I am happy. Why do you NEED to ride something 4 times a day to be happy? There is so much else to do at WDW - stop and smell the roses. Don't get me wrong, I love rides, and it's great to get to experience them too, but it doesn't make or break my trip. I'm excited to test out the Magic Bands, and we only set up one day of FP+ because that is what works for us. If you choose not to spend your vaction at Disney that is your right for sure, but don't think you'll be missed.

LOL, the hyperbole on some of these threads cracks me up. I guess I need to go back and read the OP but I don't think I've seen a person yet say they expect to ride everything immediately multiple times. But being cut from 5 or 6 FPs a day on average down to 3, with no duplications is a huge takeaway to some. I've seen so many posts making fun of the people making all these unreasonable demands, yet I haven't seen a single poster say they expect to ride something 17 times (yep, that was a real post of critique a while back).

Because you don't tour a certain way does not mean others do. I can get not sharing the same opinion but I can't understand the criticism and derision being shown by so many.

Before our last trip, if I had FP+ I would have totally skipped over ToT. My daughter SWORE there was no way I was getting her on that ride. No way would I have scheduled 1/3 of our FP allotment for the day on that attraction. Yet something happened when we walked by that day. Maybe she had a surge of courage. Maybe she thought the bellhop out front was just too funny. But she said she'd give it a go. And she LOVED it. With the help of FP, she rode that one ride 5 or 6 times. It was the highlight of the trip for her, and now a favorite Disney memory for our family..... one that wouldn't have happened with legacy FP.

It sounds like you are not a rope drop person. I can understand and appreciate that without chastising you for it. I would love to see some of that from those of you who don't agree on this issue.

 

[kvogel11202]

LOL, the hyperbole on some of these threads cracks me up. I guess I need to go back and read the OP but I don't think I've seen a person yet say they expect to ride everything immediately multiple times. But being cut from 5 or 6 FPs a day on average down to 3, with no duplications is a huge takeaway to some. I've seen so many posts making fun of the people making all these unreasonable demands, yet I haven't seen a single poster say they expect to ride something 17 times (yep, that was a real post of critique a while back).

Where has it been said you are restricted to 3 fp per day? You can use FP+ and arrive a rope drop and get more, many folks have reported sucess using that system. Where did you get "no duplications"? The OP doesn't want to go because of the FP changes and GAC changes, leading us to believe they used these two devices to avoid waiting in the standby lines at every opportunity, which is fine, they should save their money and go somewhere they don't have to wait in line- like Universal- I hear you can buy your way to the front of the line over there-

 

[Angel Ariel]

You are only bound finanically to the adrs you choose to make, Disney does not require you to make a booking for every dinner.
I think this change is great because the tables are blocked out by people making reservations at 2 places with the intention of only going to which ever one suits them on the day, taking this booking from someone who is willing to commit to it.
Really its just common courtesy.

I don't think the cc policy is going to stop people from making multiple adrs. All they have to do is cancel them 24 hrs ahead and there is no charge. Disney isn't charging the $10 up front, just if you don't cancel before 24 hrs. I don't think most people book 2 to choose for the purpose of deciding that day. I think more people make multiple adrs at the 180 day mark, and cancel ones they decide not to use as the trip gets closer and they have a better idea of what their schedule will be.

 

[Mad Hattered]

they should save their money and go somewhere they don't have to wait in line- like Universal- I hear you can buy your way to the front of the line over there-

Oh, they will. And you don't have to buy your way to the FOTL. It's included in your hotel stay. Their hotels are much nicer than what Disney offers. Example....I stayed at Royal Pacific for $112/night (less than POP) and got free FOTL. If I would have bought FOTL it would have been $50/person. There were two of us. Does that mean I got the hotel for $12/night?

So you can if you want but you probably don't want to go there.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Just had to chime in about the tickets, when E-ticket rides were really E-tickets that had to be surrendered...and you got what three in a booklet, something like that. Still have some A's and B's around somewhere....ahhh the "old days" indeed

I've got some of those buried somewhere in a box, too. Ahhhh....the good ole days, indeed.

 

[diskev]

I don't think the cc policy is going to stop people from making multiple adrs. All they have to do is cancel them 24 hrs ahead and there is no charge. Disney isn't charging the $10 up front, just if you don't cancel before 24 hrs. I don't think most people book 2 to choose for the purpose of deciding that day. I think more people make multiple adrs at the 180 day mark, and cancel ones they decide not to use as the trip gets closer and they have a better idea of what their schedule will be.

This is 100% correct. I booked mine before the change, but I still booked multiple CC guarantee ADRs. As long as I cancel 24hrs in advance there is no reason not to.

 

[Mad Hattered]

This is 100% correct. I booked mine before the change, but I still booked multiple CC guarantee ADRs. As long as I cancel 24hrs in advance there is no reason not to.

Uh oh.....watch what you say. It's a good thing there isn't a "stoning" smiley (think rocks...not weed) because there are a lot of people on this board who would use it right now.

 

[mom2rtk]

Where has it been said you are restricted to 3 fp per day? You can use FP+ and arrive a rope drop and get more, many folks have reported sucess using that system. Where did you get "no duplications"? The OP doesn't want to go because of the FP changes and GAC changes, leading us to believe they used these two devices to avoid waiting in the standby lines at every opportunity, which is fine, they should save their money and go somewhere they don't have to wait in line- like Universal- I hear you can buy your way to the front of the line over there-

People suggest rope drop like it's some new addition to the lineup, something newly available as a means of maximizing park time. We have always arrived at rope drop, then made use of FP on top of that. It was an awesome one-two punch for getting the most out of our day.

And I actually have not been to Universal since 2004. Because once they started offering FOTL for resort guests I figured I didn't want to be waiting for resort guests to cut in line in front of me all day. And since then, Disney has made me so happy I wanted to stay there, onsite, and I was quite happy to give them all of my money.

Oddly enough, for the first time in 8 years, I do indeed find myself considering swapping my lodging dollars to Universal. I figure I could stay there, get FOTL all day, then schedule 3 evening FP+ rides at a Disney park each day. I'd be in and out in a few hours, and eating offsite. I guess Disney would have to settle for getting about 75% less of my vacation dollars.

 

[mom2rtk]

Uh oh.....watch what you say. It's a good thing there isn't a "stoning" smiley (think rocks...not weed) because there are a lot of people on this board who would use it right now.

Maybe this will do: