I'm officially a convert to FP+

[rastuso]

There is truth to what you are saying Jason.

But keep in mind, many "haters" never stipulated "time of year" that FP+ would be fine-it just had to go no matter what, even "haters" that travel slow season.

3 < 6
no multiple riding headliners over and over
no hopping
tiers
nothing available at 60 days plus 1 hour (much less 30 or 1 day)
backed up kiosks
no app connection
scraps after the 3rd
nothing available day of

All debunked at least in slow season.

Just like FP- the busier the season the fewer the FP's and quantity/quality available.

But 3 is awesome for many of us during peak weeks.

And with the ongoing feedback-many folks will once again have to decide for themselves when to visit-but at least we know it works well for slow season.

I, as a "hater" never thought FP+ would ruin the slow times, but it would build the SB waits for the second tiers. It has done that, necessitating you getting extra FP+s, even for Pirates, instead of just walking on.

I have a feeling VERY few people are actually using FP+ for bonus FP+s. That MAY stay that way, sorta like the idiots who thought FP- cost money.

As soon as you start getting an e-mail saying "You used all 3 FP+ today, but we have lots more left, click here for a list!", then the gravy days are over.

All I see has happened is that during slow times, with the bonus FP+ availability, you can do as much now as you could before. There is still no advantage for FP+ really, except that all the old FP machines are virtually available at every kiosk.

But really, is ANYONE surprised FP+ works great in early May?

-Jason

 

[PEC]

This is great to hear!! I am curious, as others are, to see how touring the parks will be come July. Should I stick with my plan to RD and then get Fastpasses for later in the day? I am able to pick Fastpasses in about a week and am still a little confused on what I should do. If I schedule them for the morning, will I still be able to pull Fastpasses after we use our 3? I don't want to waste them in the morning if we will have little to no wait for rides and then not be able to get additional Fastpasses after our 3rd. Does anybody have any suggestions??

The recommendations I have read is FP MK and AK late morning until about 2. At DHS and EPCOT, with the limited Tier 1 rides, do the FP early morning.

 

[NavyDad]

Anyone loving this report, and getting your hopes up better get to WDW in the next 3 weeks, or be waiting until November.

If they ever let you get bonus FPs with your phone, I could see how a dead time would be nothing but FP on everything. You could be going up the lifts on splash, getting your next FP.

Regardless, when posted SB is 30 minutes or less, FP is fairly meaningless. SBs at that point are probably really 10-15 minutes. You can burn that going to get your FP. But, phone integration would make it worth it.

BUT, that would then give all us recovering "abusers" a new way to abuse. And all the FP+ lovers hated all the abuse that used to go on. Remember, that is the reason FP+ was so needed, because SOME people were getting to many of them.

However, now they are really happy that there is a way to abuse FP+, especially since it makes us FP+ haters wrong.




-Jason

Are you suggesting that during the busiest times of the year touring WDW may be harder than a low crowd time and you might not get to ride as many rides and even may have to wait longer for some rides.

Wow - what a new concept! This must be the first time this has ever happened!

 

[BStew]

I'm a little worried about having to be connected to my phone the whole we are in the park to plan what's next that I won't be enjoying what is currently happening. Also, what happens when you are on your phone so much it dies? I know you can use a kiosk but then again, you are running around so much, how do you enjoy what's going on? I'll be going in Nov with a 2 and 5 y.o. and they are not easy to rush around.

 

[MightyGitis]

I'm a little worried about having to be connected to my phone the whole we are in the park to plan what's next that I won't be enjoying what is currently happening. Also, what happens when you are on your phone so much it dies? I know you can use a kiosk but then again, you are running around so much, how do you enjoy what's going on? I'll be going in Nov with a 2 and 5 y.o. and they are not easy to rush around.

In my experience this shouldn't be a concern. We booked our FP+ in advance. Aside from checking the times when forgotten it never made me feel like I was stuck on my phone. After the initial 3 passes you go to a kiosk to make additional ones. You can change your FP+ times on your phone but unless you are changing them repeatedly again not going to have you constantly hooked to your phone.

 

[kerri0616]

Wonder what will happen during busier times...we have a tentative trip planned during Xmas week. Hmmmmmm...

 

[Rebekkap]

A further update from me: spent the morning at MK, it was a bit more crowded and I wasn't rushing because I was pretty tired this morning. Hotfooted it to Enchanted Tales with Belle at rope drop. There was a short wait because they were having technical difficulties but it was running by 20 past. Did that, then grabbed a coffee and some breakfast, then did my first FP (booked from 9-10 but I did at the end of the window) then second at around 10.30 (space) then went to do BTMRR but it shut down as I got there. I was hoping it would start again so I went and rode Pirates SB but it didn't and I was emailed a fastpasses good for several different attractions so I went back and did space. By then BTMRR was back up, got a FP with a 40 min return. Went and watched Country Bears then rode BTMRR, then my sister texted to say she was on the bus to HS. I caught the train to Main Street then a bus to HS too. Got there about 3pm, got FP for little mermaid, went to early dinner, saw little mermaid, got FP for star tours, rode that, went back to kiosk and got TSMM with return time 10 minutes in future (7.10pm with 7.20 return) We'll ride that now! We have FP for fantasmic thanks to dining package but was showing on screen just now at kiosk.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The only thing I find shocking about this report is that a person could like Space Mountain that much.

OP, it sounds like you're having a blast. The post-7:20 p.m. FP availability for TSMM is very encouraging. Thanks for all of your reports.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

OP - curious.....did you notice if TSMM was available when you picked LM or Star Tours? Curious if they are holding some back. I do find it encouraging you were able to grab one late in the day.

 

[Rebekkap]

OP - curious.....did you notice if TSMM was available when you picked LM or Star Tours? Curious if they are holding some back. I do find it encouraging you were able to grab one late in the day.

Yes, it didn't seem to be.

And yes, I really like Space (but it's not nearly as good as space in California (or Hong Kong, which I think is nearly identical to Anaheim)

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Yes, it didn't seem to be.

And yes, I really like Space (but it's not nearly as good as space in California (or Hong Kong, which I think is nearly identical to Anaheim)

Thanks for the clarification. I agree Space at DL (haven't been to Hong Kong) is better than WDW. It doesn't hurt me at DL.

 

[disnut1149]

It's great that you can get all these FPs, but it seems like a lot of running around to the kiosks. Doesn't seem much different than running to the ride kiosk to get a legacy FP. It will be better when they can be booked from your phone. Also, it just seems like so much planning to me. I love to plan, but this just seems like too much for me. I feel like I'm going to have to do it to have a successful trip.

 

[boltfan]

Really not sure how crowded the park was. Wait times didn't seem particularly bad, other than the 300 minute wait for Anna and Elsa, but it did seem like there were a lot of people. I guess we'll know tomorrow when the crowd calculators report how much they were off by!

I did notice wishes a couple of times during the afternoon, but to be honest I didn't notice when they ran out.

Who in their right mind would wait 5 hours for anything? Especially if you had to wait with children. As a parent who takes the kids without another adult (husband does not like Disney), there is NO way we could stand in line that long.

 

[rastuso]

The only thing I find shocking about this report is that a person could like Space Mountain that much. OP, it sounds like you're having a blast. The post-7:20 p.m. FP availability for TSMM is very encouraging. Thanks for all of your reports.

Am I the only one seeing irony in people being encouraged TSMM is available late in the day, when FP- was so bad because some abused it? Clearly, at this point, FP+ seems to be open for MUCH more abuse than FP - was.

-Jason

 

[Rebekkap]

It's great that you can get all these FPs, but it seems like a lot of running around to the kiosks. Doesn't seem much different than running to the ride kiosk to get a legacy FP. It will be better when they can be booked from your phone. Also, it just seems like so much planning to me. I love to plan, but this just seems like too much for me. I feel like I'm going to have to do it to have a successful trip.

It's a lot different actually. Before if I got off BTMRR and wanted a space FP, I had to walk all the way from frontier land to tomorrow land. Now I have to walk about ten metres to a kiosk and can book whatever I want, wherever it is in the park. I agree it will be better from the phone, but it's still an improvement over (for example). The commando day in Disneyland where I walked over 26km in a day.

And yes, the initial three requires planning, but after that, it's no extra planning from what legacy fastpass required. Less, if anything.

 

[Rebekkap]

The only thing I find shocking about this report is that a person could like Space Mountain that much.

OP, it sounds like you're having a blast. The post-7:20 p.m. FP availability for TSMM is very encouraging. Thanks for all of your reports.

And yes, totally having a blast

 

[dassjs]

Hi Rebakkap,

Do you have suggestions on how best to use the new Fast Pass+. Coming to Disney later this fall and my sister in law shared horror stories about Fast Pass + from her visit at Disney this past week. I thought she told me that if you had already gotten a fast pass for an attraction, you were unable to get another fast pass later that day for that same attraction. Also, she complained that she had to criss cross the park all day to get to the kiosks and in most instances, there were no fast passes left. Want to be prepared! Thank you!

 

[disnut1149]

It's a lot different actually. Before if I got off BTMRR and wanted a space FP, I had to walk all the way from frontier land to tomorrow land. Now I have to walk about ten metres to a kiosk and can book whatever I want, wherever it is in the park. I agree it will be better from the phone, but it's still an improvement over (for example). The commando day in Disneyland where I walked over 26km in a day.

And yes, the initial three requires planning, but after that, it's no extra planning from what legacy fastpass required. Less, if anything.

Thanks!! That's good news!!

 

[Rebekkap]

Hi Rebakkap,

Do you have suggestions on how best to use the new Fast Pass+. Coming to Disney later this fall and my sister in law shared horror stories about Fast Pass + from her visit at Disney this past week. I thought she told me that if you had already gotten a fast pass for an attraction, you were unable to get another fast pass later that day for that same attraction. Also, she complained that she had to criss cross the park all day to get to the kiosks and in most instances, there were no fast passes left. Want to be prepared! Thank you!

Yes I do!

Your sister was right when it comes to the first three fastpasses - they all have to be different.

Once you've used up the first three you can definitely do repeats.

You don't need to criss cross the park - or at least not as much as you did if you were a power user of legacy FP - there are multiple kiosks around the park. Have a look at the park maps before hand to get an idea of where they are if you're worried, but I've done fine just asking a CM if I can't see a kiosk.

In terms of availability, I haven't really had problems, but a couple of times when a time I wanted wasn't showing as available, like today when my sister joined me at a in the afternoon but I'd already used my three FP, so we were trying to make the kiosk show availability overlapping with hers, the CM just went back and forward until something showed up. You can also change times and attractions on your phone after setting something up at a kiosk.

My guess is, people are changing things so things show up that weren't there a minute ago.

But I haven't found it horrific at all and I'm sure you'll have fun!

 

[dassjs]

Thx Rebakkap!