Interesting "NextGen" stuff for Disney Parks

[perfectparanoia]

When and if this happens, it will make uberplanners like me need to go on meds. I plan everything in detail now, imagine if I could book RIDES, too!

Pretty sure my head will explode.

 

[slapwhitey]

I'm gonna have to take the wait and see approach but on the surface I'm not a fan of this idea either. It's not even so much that I don't want to decide where I want to eat and what attractions I want to visit in advance. I think the bigger issue for me is....and please forgive me here....how fan sites everywhere will have people finding a way to manipulate the system and making it more difficult for the average visitor. Don't get me wrong, I love these fan sites. I can't tell you how much the DIS has changed my life and that's no exaggeration.

Just think about all the types of people who have made it difficult to make ADR's during a free dining period because of holding on to a bunch of bogus reservations thus taking up space that they do not intend to keep. We've found ways to plus size our Disney vacations as well with tips from these boards but we typically won't do things that would potentially jeopardize another visitors plans. Now Disney may very well come up with a solution to prevent this from happening but I've been around for enough time to know that if there is a loop hole someone will find it and that eventually leads to people abusing it. I'm not saying everyone abuses it or even anyone who frequents these boards abuses it but we all know it is done.

I'm kinda like Kevin...except about a foot shorter.....whereas I'm starting to be more about the spontaneity. We used to plan and overplan but more and more frequently we just show up and just go where the wind blows us. Frankly I enjoy it much more than the overplanned vacations. I know this is a long post for taking a wait and see attitude but just my opinion.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Depends om the details, to me. I am three days from my ADR window, so planning mode is my world right now.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

I'm sure all the people in line for the opening of Harry Potter were saying "Boy, I'm sure loving this spontaneity thing we have going!"

 

[WaltD4Me]

I'm sure all the people in line for the opening of Harry Potter were saying "Boy, I'm sure loving this spontaneity thing we have going!"

Huh?

 

[dansyr2514]

I have a problem with the fastpass thing. Will a TSM faspass mimic adr's for Le Cellier? 165 days from your trip ..sorry fastpasses are all gone.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I have a problem with the fastpass thing. Will a TSM faspass mimic adr's for Le Cellier? 165 days from your trip ..sorry fastpasses are all gone.

Attractions load many more people per hour than restaurants.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

I have a problem with the fastpass thing. Will a TSM faspass mimic adr's for Le Cellier? 165 days from your trip ..sorry fastpasses are all gone.

Yes, that's EXACTLY what it means. The worst possible scenario.

Take a breath, wait and see. Adapt or don't go.

 

[WDWTraveler1990]

I have a problem with the fastpass thing. Will a TSM faspass mimic adr's for Le Cellier? 165 days from your trip ..sorry fastpasses are all gone.

Yes, that's EXACTLY what it means. The worst possible scenario.

Take a breath, wait and see. Adapt or don't go.

As I mentioned in another thread on this, I think there will be a limit on how many of these reservations that will be taken per day per attraction. I think you still will be able to get a FP in the park if you dont make one of these reservations.

Attractions load many more people per hour than restaurants.

Very true.

 

[Justin Jett]

I 10000% agree with Frank and Lisa! The last time I made an ADR was when EPCOT had the WorldKey Kiasks for video confernces. With the exception of buying a Hoop Dee Doo Revue ticket, WorldKey was the only time my family of 3 or 4 people has ever made an ADR (then known as Priority Seating). I have been told that I have "ADR phobia," but I just have never had a problem walking up.

After seeing people on the boards plan their entire day around a restaurant, I tried an experiment.

In last week of April 2010, I called WDW-DINE from the parks. There would be no availability at the restaurants I asked for. After getting off the phone, I went right up to the podium at said restaurants and got a table for 3 with only a 30-40 minute wait.

If at anytime, my first choice was full.....there are other choices. If I need something fast? Hey.....there is the theme park staple hot dog available. The planet will not explode because I dont have an ADR. I do enjoy a good meal, but bottom line is that food is food. It will keep me alive til the next meal. I am not gonna give up seeing something that is going on because of food.

Yes, I know..... "But if you have the dining plan...." I use the dining plan alot. My credits have never been declined due to the lack of ADR. The waitstaff swipes my card with no fuss at all.

If ADRs are your thing, then you should do it. They are just a waste of time for me personally. The exception being dinner show tickets and eating before a park opens. Other than that, I personally do not see the point of ADRs. I dont know what I want to eat 6 hours from now, let alone 6 months from now.

Again, this is just my personal experience and personal preference. Please do not write to me to explain the "NEED" for ADRs.

For rides, I can see reserved times for popular attractions, but times would have to be spread out to allow for standbys.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I'm sure all the people in line for the opening of Harry Potter were saying "Boy, I'm sure loving this spontaneity thing we have going!"

What does this have to do with this discussion?

 

[dansyr2514]

Please don't take my comment too literally. I was just expressing, that I think that it may add the same craziness to trying to book a fastpass to TSM as it is trying to book Le Cellier.

I'm sure they will leave a certain number of fastpasses available at the parks. But will people feel they need to book a highly coveted fastpass before they leave or as I think Kevin has heard many times " their vacation will be ruined"?

I've gone enough times to know, if I miss something, I'll just do it next time. But instead of making it easier, will it add more stress to those who it may be their one and only trip. Will it ruin their trip if they can't schedule their fastpass time for the important rides.

Discuss.....

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Please don't take my comment too literally. I was just expressing, that I think that it may add the same craziness to trying to book a fastpass to TSM as it is trying to book Le Cellier.

I'm sure they will leave a certain number of fastpasses available at the parks. But will people feel they need to book a highly coveted fastpass before they leave or as I think Kevin has heard many times " their vacation will be ruined"?

I've gone enough times to know, if I miss something, I'll just do it next time. But instead of making it easier, will it add more stress to those who it may be their one and only trip. Will it ruin their trip if they can't schedule their fastpass time for the important rides.

Discuss.....

I actually think this benefits one and done vacationers far more than locals.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I actually think this benefits one and done vacationers far more than locals.

I think I disagree with this.

"One and done" folks arent usually uber planners.

I think they are the ones that will be hurt or at least annoyed by this.

These are the same folks that make nasty comments to folks in the fast pass line because "no one told them".

Who knows......this might be a total boon, but knowing Disney and their computer systems.......my hopes are low.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I think I disagree with this.

"One and done" folks arent usually uber planners.

I think they are the ones that will be hurt or at least annoyed by this.

These are the same folks that make nasty comments to folks in the fast pass line because "no one told them".

Who knows......this might be a total boon, but knowing Disney and their computer systems.......my hopes are low.

Hmmm... Good point.

 

[dmwang9]

Back to the attraction reservations, I think the rides will still have plenty of capacity for anyone who wants to walk up and ride them but the people who make advanced "reservations" will just pull from the Fastpass allotment for that time. At least that is how I'd implement it if I was in charge of this project.

I had a similar thought when I first read about the announcement. If that's what happens, I hope that Disney holds back a certain number of FP's for same-day requests at the FP machines -- kinda like restaurants will hold some tables for walkup customers.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

What does this have to do with this discussion?

This means a lot to this discussion. For those who fear that Disney is making you plan every second of every trip, this is the extreme in the other direction. Universal showed that they just wanted to treat their customers like cattle, or lacked the capability to understand just how the customer experience is lessened greatly by waiting forever for the most popular attractions. You might get the customer once, but good luck getting them to come back.

No fast passes and lack of planning by park management means longer lines and frustrated customers. Good planning by park management, and yes, some planning by customers means shorter wait times, happy customers and happy management. You get to see more attractions (if you choose), and you have more time spend your money.

To me, Disney sees waiting in line as a lost opportunity, and I give them full credit for spending their time and money to alleviate, or someone lessen the issue. It's easy to create the latest "park within a park", roller coaster or princess meet and greet, but it takes vision to create an entirely new paradigm of how to deal with your customers waiting in lines.

For those many nay sayers, please wait and see what concrete systems are in place before declaring the entire idea a disaster in the making. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water at a time when the baby hasn't even been born yet.

 

[DisneyKevin]

This means a lot to this discussion. For those who fear that Disney is making you plan every second of every trip, this is the extreme in the other direction. Universal showed that they just wanted to treat their customers like cattle, or lacked the capability to understand just how the customer experience is lessened greatly by waiting forever for the most popular attractions. You might get the customer once, but good luck getting them to come back.

No fast passes and lack of planning by park management means longer lines and frustrated customers. Good planning by park management, and yes, some planning by customers means shorter wait times, happy customers and happy management. You get to see more attractions (if you choose), and you have more time spend your money.

To me, Disney sees waiting in line as a lost opportunity, and I give them full credit for spending their time and money to alleviate, or someone lessen the issue. It's easy to create the latest "park within a park", roller coaster or princess meet and greet, but it takes vision to create an entirely new paradigm of how to deal with your customers waiting in lines.

For those many nay sayers, please wait and see what concrete systems are in place before declaring the entire idea a disaster in the making. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water at a time when the baby hasn't even been born yet.

You are comparing the opening of what is ostensibly the biggest attraction in Orlando in at least a decade to riding 40 year old Space Mountain.

No one faulted Universal for drawing HUGE crowds. They were faulted for having nothing in place to handle them.

Knowing that they had reached well over capacity, no one was turned away at the toll plazas.

Knowing that temperatures would reach the high 90's, no one thought to put people out selling bottled water. Talk about a missed opportunity.

I also dont think anyone here has jumped to any drastic conclusions. No one here has threatened to "never go back" or that their vacations would be ruined.

The main topic of discussion on this website (and reason this entire website was created) has always been Disney and when Disney throws out information like this....it will lead to discussion.

 

[WaltD4Me]

It's easy to create the latest "park within a park", roller coaster or princess meet and greet, but it takes vision to create an entirely new paradigm of how to deal with your customers waiting in lines.

For those many nay sayers, please wait and see what concrete systems are in place before declaring the entire idea a disaster in the making. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water at a time when the baby hasn't even been born yet.

Putting aside the spontaneity issue, this would be all well and good if I had more confidence in Disney's current "concrete" systems. Whether or not their website is working at any given time is luck of the draw and the ADR system is far from perfect, so it's hard for me to imagine a new paradigm that won't make planning a trip even more frustrating and maddening that it can be already.

And try doing a Google search about this announcement. People on the DIS are definitely not the only ones questioning it.

 

[Captain Hook Jr]

Any chance of helping lower queue times is a positive in my book....but I feel a little uncomfortable about losing too much spontaneity. I agree also running from attraction to attraction with prebooked rides may stop you from stumbling upon something magical.