Is FP+ forcing people into the parks?

[jillgunter]

Recovering economy? I guess I've missed that somewhere.

It depends on where you live. Economy is very good in Raleigh NC area. People for sure are spending money on vacations again.

 

[tlmadden73]

I'm sure it keeps people in the park (that are already there). You don't want to leave for the day because you have a Fast Pass scheduled for later that evening.

I would guess the Fast Passes do help bring locals and AP holders in.
Myself .. (simply as a owner of a no-expiring ticket) . .I can look at any day in the next 30, make some Fast Passes and go.
If I was local, I'd do that for every day (in the next 30) I feel I could potentially go. If I don't go .. cancel the fast passes and go some other day.
If there wasn't Fast Pass, I guess I wouldn't be inclined to just "pop in" to WDW because I would have to wait in lines . .but if I can just use my AP to "pop in" and guarantee to get on 3 rides without waiting .. absolutely I would go more. It's probably why they are raising prices on Annual Passes .. because of FP+ .. using your annual pass is a lot easier.

I would say it also has to do with the recovering economy (compared to the mid-2000s) and the fact that Disney promotes the HECK out of getting people to come, especially in the "slow" times.

I booked a trip (at rack rate) for last week in August 6+ months in advance mainly because it was Value season and because it was traditionally a low crowd time due to everyone going back to school.

Over the next few months Disney had several different promotions that discounted my room. (20% off). They promoted the heck around that late august/September time frame .. because right after the 20% off room discount ended the free dining was starting ..
There are the special festivals and parties and marathons as well that draw people there in October/November and December and January.

They just do a lot to get people to come .. and do it well.

And besides . it is just a popular place .. the ease of booking your own trip on the internet probably helps too.

 

[vinotinto]

Blame the recovering economy really. and the Disney marketing department. Like it or not, they've made something that nearly everyone wants to visit, and as more people can afford to do it, you can bet that they will. FP+ is more like a response to high crowds. It's an attempt to "direct the traffic" so to speak. Whether it's doing a great job of that is up for debate, but that was definitely one of it's purposes.

I used to think that FP+ was causing the long waits, but having just returned, I can safely say you are right. There is just a lot more people coming to Disney parks, period. It's good, beloved entertainment, and they are doing a great job of marketing in and out of the US. Lots of visitors from other countries: UK, South America, etc.

I looked up the Touringplans "how did we do in our predictions for yesterday" and Saturday was actually a 10, Sunday was actually a 10 and Monday was actually a 9. It seems 10 is the new 7-8. I think the old 10s will be off the charts. I would not want to be at WDW anywhere near Thanksgiving, Christmas, or new Year's.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't get this notion that this will get more people in gift shops. If Disney wants that why do most of the stores carry the same products? A generic Disney shirt certainly won't look any different in a different shop.

It's interesting.

 

[WillAustin]

I don't get this notion that this will get more people in gift shops. If Disney wants that why do most of the stores carry the same products? A generic Disney shirt certainly won't look any different in a different shop.

That's the most disappointing thing about shopping at WDW. No matter where you go, it's basically the same stuff.

We'd buy a lot more if there were more variety and location specific items.

 

[Nancyg56]

On our last vacation, personally speaking, FP+ and the relatively cheaper cost of a multi-day ticket made me feel like we shouldn't have a "no park" day in our vacation. We ended up upgrading to APs, so it made sense to hop into Epcot to ride Soarin' or hop into DHS to get another ride on TSMM instead of hang in our room/resort/DTD all day.

If we are there more than 7 days we schedue some no park days. We do tend to have the multi day passes for each day, but FP does not compel my family to head over to a park just for an attraction. We will hop for dinner, but have already used our headliner FP for the day. I do think that this all depends on how you look at a Disney vacation. Do you need to "make the most" out of pak time, or are teh parks simply a part of you vacation? I think the differences in how we all at this is driving thedifferent opinions on how FP affects crowds levels in the parks.

I don't get this notion that this will get more people in gift shops. If Disney wants that why do most of the stores carry the same products? A generic Disney shirt certainly won't look any different in a different shop.

It's interesting.

You said it! Remember when shopping in DHS was different than in MK?? I used to do the majority of my shoppin in this park, but no longer. I can buy my cup anywhere.

That's the most disappointing thing about shopping at WDW. No matter where you go, it's basically the same stuff.

We'd buy a lot more if there were more variety and location specific items.

Yes. I am not compelled to hit all the shops to see what little goodies may be tucked inside. You go to one, you been in all of them.

 

[ilovefh]

I don't know about other locals but FP+ definitely gets us into the park more often.

Working makes it impossible to rope drop 5/7 days every week and the weekends I want to sleep at late as my 4 year old will let me. In the past with the old FP system I would rarely get to ride headliners (unless I was willing to wait.) Getting a FP for a headliner was hard because by the time we got there either all passes were gone (weekdays) or the return times were for much later in the day and we don't stay all day (weekends). Now I can book from home and know that my 3 rides are guaranteed to be short lines. I can get 7DMT for a time I want and not have to wait in a long line or get there early to secure a pass for later.

For example, my mom asked me to try and get her a new Haunted Mansion purple magic band. So Saturday night I went into the MDE app and picked my 3 FP+ for Sunday. I got the rides I wanted at the times I wanted. We went to MK, checked for the bands, rode our 3 rides and left. In the past I probably would not have gone in the middle of the day on a holiday weekend.

 

[cindyfan]

Recovering economy? I guess I've missed that somewhere.

My thoughts exactly..... but I'm from Ohio! And certainly not much "recovery" here!
Anyway..... to the OP comments..... I think what FP+ has done is made less people waiting in the lines (that is... lines for the most popular attractions) and out walking through the parks... hence it feels more crowded.

 

[Ava]

Disney has done a good job of filling up the parks in what used to be slow seasons by offering special events and discounts in those seasons to entice visitors. I think those who go in what used to be low crowd times are seeing a bigger jump in crowd levels year over year than those who are used to going in the summer/holiday seasons that have always been crowded.

FP+ definitely has an effect on wait times for second-tier attractions but I don't think it has much, if anything, to do with the increased crowd levels.

 

[linskypens]

I think FP+ has made it more crowded in the afternoon. I did two ropedrops last week , one in MK, one In Epcot (first person on Soarin, 4th person on SM , I still got it!)
By 1030 in the morning at MK, with no FP+, we rode SM twice, BUZZ, HM, BTMRR, Splash, and Pirates, made our way through the emporium, and gone to the fire station for new Sorcerers cards. We then traveled to to HS, where we used our FP+ for RnR, Tower, and Star Tours.
At Epcot by 1030, I had Ridden Soarin, The seas, Turtle Talk, Single Rider at Test track, and been on mission Space, with time to get a set of ears embroidered, and shipped home.
Rope Drop is still your best friend. Save your FP+ for afernoon or evening, when its impossible to get a 4th or 5th for major rides. you dont need them in the morning still

 

[hookedonears]

I don't want to turn this political but have you noticed the lowest unemployment rate in years? Low gas prices? Housing recovery? It was announced this weekend that social security would not be getting a raise in 2016 because inflation is stable. Not saying who gets credit, but the economy is definitely in better shape.

94,000,000 working age people not working. Highest number in American History.
People who quit looking for jobs after a number of months are not counted by the government in the unemployment numbers.
Average wages have gone down every year for the 7 years.
Largest number of people under the poverty line, then ever before in American history.
Vast majority of new jobs created over the last several years have been minimum wage and part time.

Besides that, things are going great.

 

[hookedonears]

I don't want to turn this political but have you noticed the lowest unemployment rate in years? Low gas prices? Housing recovery? It was announced this weekend that social security would not be getting a raise in 2016 because inflation is stable. Not saying who gets credit, but the economy is definitely in better shape.

Did I mention that GDP has grown at a 2% annual rate over the last 6 years, the weakest recession recovery rate in history. Grew around 6% under Bush's term.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't get this notion that this will get more people in gift shops. If Disney wants that why do most of the stores carry the same products? A generic Disney shirt certainly won't look any different in a different shop.

It's interesting.

It really is perplexing, isn't it? Disney has been a marketing machine recently. They apparently looked at their attendance and decided that it was unacceptable to have a low crowd week, month or day. If a time was slow, they set out to fill it. And by the looks of things, they have been pretty successful at it.

Then WHY ON EARTH does a company like Disney fall down on the job so miserably when it comes to the merchandise they carry in the stores? I actually came home from our trip in June with cash left over from what I had set aside to spend in the shops. ARE YOU LISTENING MICKEY??????????

We're heading to DLR in a week, and I have already adjusted my expectations. I want to buy a variety of Halloween items but am hearing already that they are running out of things that I want.

 

[larryz]

It really is perplexing, isn't it? Disney has been a marketing machine recently. They apparently looked at their attendance and decided that it was unacceptable to have a low crowd week, month or day. If a time was slow, they set out to fill it. And by the looks of things, they have been pretty successful at it.

Then WHY ON EARTH does a company like Disney fall down on the job so miserably when it comes to the merchandise they carry in the stores? I actually came home from our trip in June with cash left over from what I had set aside to spend in the shops. ARE YOU LISTENING MICKEY??????????

We're heading to DLR in a week, and I have already adjusted my expectations. I want to buy a variety of Halloween items but am hearing already that they are running out of things that I want.

Clearly you missed the $150 per person special event... that's what you could have spent that extra money on...

 

[Planogirl]

It really is perplexing, isn't it? Disney has been a marketing machine recently. They apparently looked at their attendance and decided that it was unacceptable to have a low crowd week, month or day. If a time was slow, they set out to fill it. And by the looks of things, they have been pretty successful at it.

Then WHY ON EARTH does a company like Disney fall down on the job so miserably when it comes to the merchandise they carry in the stores? I actually came home from our trip in June with cash left over from what I had set aside to spend in the shops. ARE YOU LISTENING MICKEY??????????

We're heading to DLR in a week, and I have already adjusted my expectations. I want to buy a variety of Halloween items but am hearing already that they are running out of things that I want.

Ooh, going in just a week? Have a wonderful time!

And good luck at DHS. I'm still mulling over that place. In fact, there used to be a lot of neat things to buy there but most of that has disappeared too.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ooh, going in just a week? Have a wonderful time!

And good luck at DHS. I'm still mulling over that place. In fact, there used to be a lot of neat things to buy there but most of that has disappeared too.

Thanks PG!

But no DHS in our future. We're heading west again!

 

[Planogirl]

Thanks PG!

But no DHS in our future. We're heading west again!

And when will I learn to read? I see Disney and somehow miss DLR. Doh!

I need to get caught up clearly.

 

[jo-jo]

As far as using " three and flee", for us that's is why we like to stay at a resort we can walk too. First day, FP are later in the day. Switching resorts, we use those as down days but we will go in to use the FP. I'm sure we wouldn't be doing that if a 2 hr turnaround time on buses were involved.

 

[larryz]

Thanks PG!

But no DHS in our future. We're heading west again!

<----- color me jealous!

 

[buckeev]

Recovering economy? I guess I've missed that somewhere.

Yup...You must've. Most states, especially FLA have had recovery in many areas. Real estate prices that plummeted in 2008 have come back with a vengeance. WDW and USO attendance numbers continue to skyrocket, no matter how much they raise the prices. Just back from a week long trip to Orlando, and the corwds everywhere seemed almost like Christmas week!