Is anyone complaining to WDW itself?

[WillAustin]

I really don't see the point in complaining to Disney as they are way past the point of no return on this one. They have made the billion dollar investment and footfall hasn't been hit so I can't see them back tracking in any way.

I don't see people complaining to go back to the old system. Everyone knows that's not going to happen. However, complaints have already affected changes in the system and I'm sure will continue to influence the development in the future. I also don't think Disney has ever seen this level of dissatisfaction when they rolled out a change.

 

[jerseygirl82]

We complained about the window being enforced on the old system at Guest Services at MK two years ago. We got a free FP voucher for any ride we wanted.

Best part was, two days later, we got to Epcot late, and my mad dash to get Soarin' FPs came up empty. Called my wife on the cell and she said not to worry - she had just got done complaining at Guest Services about the FP time window being enforced, and had received a free FP voucher for any ride we wanted

Good to know I can cheat the system just by complaining as loudly and often as possible. Next trip I will ride everything I want without having to use FP+ at all!

 

[kaetra]

On our recent trip we were asked on the way out of MK if we would like to participate in a Survey by a CM with a clipboard. I said yes and they emailed it to me, so I didn't have to stand there and do the survey right away. I received 2 separate surveys. Some sections of the first survey were related to FP+ service and had space for comments about FP+. I received the 2nd survey two days after I responded to the first, and it wanted more details about my FP feedback.

I made sure to tell them that with the current FP+ configuration I didn't have nearly as much time to visit their shops as I used to. You got to communicate in a $language$ they can understand.

 

[disneynutz]

Disney isn't stupid, they know how people feel about something better than they know themselves.

The reason for what Disney does is different than what the public thinks. FP+ isn't used to allow guests the ability to pick attractions, it is used to control crowds, increase attendance and increase profit.

Everything they do is designed to increase profit, period.

Bill

 

[Planogirl]

You can definitely fill those other 9 days! I would highly recommend, if you do choose to go to DLR, looking into driving up the CA coast (or maybe fly into San Francisco and then drive down the coast to Los Angeles (ending your trip with DLR). There is tons to do in San Francisco (including the Walt Disney Family Museum, which I'd love to go to someday!), there are amazing national parks in California, maybe visit the Napa Valley (wine country here). The San Diego Wild Animal Park is worth the visit as well (and a day trip from DLR).

If you are even thinking about it, you might want to go through the DLR podcast archives. I know one member of the team does a "Day 6" series that highlights other things in the Anaheim/LA area to do. Or go visit the DLR forums here and ask around. There's definitely things you can do to extend that vacation

It's definitely different than WDW, but it's well worth it!

We had a blast just in the LA area. Hollywood was disappointing but we enjoyed Knotts and the Queen Mary and got a kick out of Mission Beach. I plan to always set aside at least one day for LA.

 

[Planogirl]

Absolutely correct. There is a very loud very small minority who absolutely hate change of any kind (conservatives?) and they mistakenly think they can change things by venting their frustration on a web site. The OP is correct. If they really want their voices to be heard they are wasting their time here. No one is listening.

I'm not conservative by any means. As for no one listening you and others are.

 

[larryz]

For the very small vocal community that consistently complaigns here there are actually millions who love the fast past + system.

If this were another board, I'd ask you to produce your statistics proving your point. But I understand that your statement, "there are actually millions who love the fast past + (sic) system" is actually just your opinion, and I have no problem with you believing that. Rock on with your bad self!

On the obverse, I'd estimate that out of the millions of people who experienced FP+, minus the "very small vocal community" who complain, minus the apparently very small vocal community who like FP+ and care enough to post here about it, the vast majority ("actually" millions) don't love it, hate it, or care enough either way to raise a fuss and holler about it one way or the other.

It IS the system, and if you go, you'll either use it or spend much more time in longer SB lines on at least 3 rides per day.

But that's just MY opinion.

 

[Mickey&Mouse]

On our recent trip we were asked on the way out of MK if we would like to participate in a Survey by a CM with a clipboard. I said yes and they emailed it to me, so I didn't have to stand there and do the survey right away. I received 2 separate surveys. Some sections of the first survey were related to FP+ service and had space for comments about FP+. I received the 2nd survey two days after I responded to the first, and it wanted more details about my FP feedback.

I made sure to tell them that with the current FP+ configuration I didn't have nearly as much time to visit their shops as I used to. You got to communicate in a $language$ they can understand.

That's interesting (and encouraging) that they sent you a 2nd survey specific to your FP+ feedback. On a side note: I really enjoyed reading along with your live trip report last week!

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I think there was much more of a fuss over FP+ when it was in the testing phase. People were losing their minds about the coming change based on reports from others who had been to WDW during the test. This would seem to give credence to a previous comment regarding the resistance to change among the so-called "super fans" who live on sites like this one. I would point out that the complaining about FP+ on these boards is a fraction of what it was prior to the actual launch of the service. Personally, I enjoy FP+, Magic Bands and the whole MDE experience. I also hope they bring some version of it to Disneyland. It would need to be tailored more to AP holders, and I think Disney has the technology available to do it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Overlooking the obvious demeaning and dismissive tone of your post, how does anyone know exactly how many people like or dislike FP+?

Well, you could count the positive and negative posts Disney's Facebook page.........

......... if they didn't delete all the negative ones.

 

[Eolyn]

I'm about to use FP+ for the first time, and I honestly don't give a flip about the change. I didn't "maximize" my FP use before, and if they did away with it entirely, ultimately, I'd be fine with that too. I can't honestly say I prefer one system much to the other. I know because of what I booked, I will only be able to get 3 per park on three of the days. Maybe before I would have gotten 5-6 or something since I was a slack user. I really don't care and I've done a lot of Disney-ing.

I get people preferring the old system over the new, but I don't get all the seemingly angry drama around it. Sometimes I feel like people act like if they can't FP it, they can't see/experience it. And sometimes I feel like Park Hopper feeds into that since people feel like they need to jump around rather do the one-day-one-park. --I will say that one thing I do like is being able to schedule them ahead of time on the new system and getting times I want since I like to do parks in a specific (overly obsessive) way. And what I liked about the old one is after my first Splash Mountain ride, I could immediately get a FP for a second one. And what I didn't like was getting a 9pm Space Mountain FP.

What I hate is Universal's system of paying $40-70 to be able to Express Pass everything.

 

[nilla]

Good to know I can cheat the system just by complaining as loudly and often as possible. Next trip I will ride everything I want without having to use FP+ at all!

That technique works outside Disney, too!

 

[disneyseniors]

how would they be expected to solve the problem? Bring back FP-? It's almost certain that will never happen.

Marika, I don't have a clue, but I think it is clear that something has to be tweeked a little, or rethought out, or something. Putting a bandaid on the problem, like giving free fp's, etc, makes people feel better at the time, but does it really solve anything?? I certainly don't have the answers

 

[3DisneyFanz]

To me there are two major issues with the process:

1) it never should have been put with a 6 month window to start scheduling. If you're someone hat can't plan things that far out you have little to no shot of getting anything you want. 30 days seems much more reasonable with maybe 60 at the longest.

2) why give out all you can before the park even opens. Do 60% of your allotment beforehand and then 40% for the day of. Why punish people due to situations that might be out of their control such as sickness or weather. You might miss out before arrival but you still have a shot once you're in the park. At least it would give a glimmer of hope rather than just a compete crush for 6 months out.

 

[mom2rtk]

To me there are two major issues with the process:

1) it never should have been put with a 6 month window to start scheduling. If you're someone hat can't plan things that far out you have little to no shot of getting anything you want. 30 days seems much more reasonable with maybe 60 at the longest.

2) why give out all you can before the park even opens. Do 60% of your allotment beforehand and then 40% for the day of. Why punish people due to situations that might be out of their control such as sickness or weather. You might miss out before arrival but you still have a shot once you're in the park. At least it would give a glimmer of hope rather than just a compete crush for 6 months out.

I don't think the allotment of day of/advance booking is the issue. I really don't want to chase the rabbit twice. If they don't have enough inventory (which they don't) then put it all out there and give me your best shot all at once. All that does is drag out how long I have to keep trying.

And maybe their IT infrastructure can't handle that much same day inventory?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Ya know, I dislike FP+ pretty much a lot, and much preferred the old system, so I may vent and complain here, but ultimately it is what it is. We're all here to figure out how to make the best out of the system as it exists today. But I also think it's total BS for someone who is a Disboard member, who knows all about the system ahead of time, to get to Disney, decide they hate FP+, complain to GS and then get compensated in the form of extra FP+. This where I join the "If you don't want to play by Disney's rules, don't go." There are plenty of us who don't like Disney's rules but accept we have to play by them, and suck it up by trying to make the most out of the system.

As for venting on here...I think that very, very few posters who complain here or to Disney actually expect Disney to change. A lot of the posts you see here come off as venting, and who can blame someone for venting when a vacation they spent 1000s of dollars on doesn't meet expectations. Personally, I find it helpful to see the complaints because then I can be prepared for potential complications. The rah, rah, rah FP+ is so great! posts just aren't as helpful for me because they don't help prepare you for worst case scenario. I'd rather go in expecting the worst and then having a good experience instead of thinking everything is going to be all sunshine and rainbows and then winding up disappointed.