Just back... LOVED Magicbands... FP+ nearly perfect!

[jensen]

Magicbands are the best invention since sliced bread! The ease of not dealing with those ridiculous cards is out-of-this-world great! I cannot say enough good things! We used them for room key, park entrance, dining plan, charging everything we bought, EMH and FP+.

Fastpass+ worked quite well for us, too. Lines were short, so we didn't have to use them very often. But, when we did, they worked great. I loved that I could change them on the fly with my smartphone... I did that several times.

My only gripe was that we couldn't park-hop with them. On multiple days, we did AK in the morning for safari and EE. EP in the afternoon to eat and drink around the world. DHS at dusk for RNR and TOT. Then MK for wishes and over to EP for Illuminations.

On those days, I booked FP+ for RNR and TOT (and a throwaway one). But, I would have loved to use the throwaway for a safari in the morning instead of standing in line.

When they finally allow park-hopping, FP+ will be perfect. IMO

I should also note that I went into this with a lot of trepidation and angst because of all the naysayers on here. But, they worked great for us. We do have friends who traveled nearly the same days as us... she has a few complaints... but, she was so anti-MB before we left that I couldn't even talk to her about them. She contacted me several times before the trip complaining about them and saying that she didn't want them.

I think going in with a positive attitude and knowing there are minor limitations with the FP+ system will help you appreciate them more.

I'm hoping to write a trip report. But, if anyone has any questions, please ask here.

 

[AlixaLock]

Thanks for sharing! How do you feel the morning standby/FastPass in the afternoon worked? That's what I'm planning, as I'm sure are many people, and I'm curious if the morning lines are getting worse??

 

[jensen]

Let me start by saying that "morning" for me is 10-11 am. I don't do rope drop. So, I'm not the best judge. Other factors are time of year and weather. I went to AK in the morning for a safari on three days... did FP+ one of those days, so didn't even pay attention to the stand-by time.

Stood in line one day that was about 25 minutes long - weather was good. After my safari, I headed over to EE and rode within 15 minutes.

On the last day (it was about 11 am and the weather was glorious), the line was 75 minutes. I decided to skip the safari and headed to EE instead, where I found a 20 minute line.

Take from that what you can.

 

[wiigirl]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[tarak]

I could not agree with you more on the magic bands. It was odd how free it felt to go down to the pool with nothing but my swimsuit and MB (well, the days it was warmer, at least). We never had any issues with them not working. There was a couple in line at the concierge desk whose bands were malfunctioning and they had to get new ones, so clearly the glitches are still there. I never wear a watch and don't like to, so I was surprised at how little I noticed the band.

FP+ also worked very well for us, with one only one major glitch. I think it works better if everyone in your party is going to the same ride. When I tried to shift things around so everyone could go to a meet and greet, it was an hour of pain. I wouldn't have been surprised if smoke started pouring out of my iPhone. At our mid-day break, I went to the concierge at our hotel to see if they could make it work, it didn't go any better. They ended up adding three use-for-anything FPs to our account, which helped immensely. Even then, we only used two of them, because the standby lines were very short at that point (this was around 9 on Saturday night).

 

[phewms]

I am extremely glad to hear this positive feedback!
May will be our 2nd year as a family, 1st year for my DD who will be 13 months old. I am trying to keep her on her normal schedule (back to the resort daily for naps) and I think FP+ will help us stay on track. It's a pain to schedule everything, but I'm hopeful that it will be worth it in the end.
Thank you for sharing and I am glad yoru experience was positive.

 

[diskev]

Fastpass+ worked quite well for us, too. Lines were short, so we didn't have to use them very often. But, when we did, they worked great. I loved that I could change them on the fly with my smartphone... I did that several times.

Here's the problem with your general statement "FP+ nearly perfect". Lines were short because you were there off off peak. Low attendance plays into FP+ limitations. The stark reality of FP+ is seen during peak times. How would your experience have changed during the middle of the summer, Pop Warner or Christmas? I think it's great you had an awesome time, but the only reason FP+ worked was due to when you went and not FP+ itself.

 

[jensen]

Here's the problem with your general statement "FP+ nearly perfect". Lines were short because you were there off off peak. Low attendance plays into FP+ limitations. The stark reality of FP+ is seen during peak times. How would your experience have changed during the middle of the summer, Pop Warner or Christmas? I think it's great you had an awesome time, but the only reason FP+ worked was due to when you went and not FP+ itself.

Actually, I feel quite the opposite is true.

DS will be in varsity sports soon and we'll have to schedule future visits around his schedule. The thought of going in the high season used to freak me out... but, now that I've experienced FP+, I'm not really as scared.

We had very productive, full days this visit and only did maybe five rides a day... fewer on some days. The rest of the time was filled with fun activities that don't require lines - like watching fireworks, dining, shopping, laying by the pool...

If I can guarantee a FP+ on three rides and only stand in two lines during the high season... I don't think I'd complain. I'd rejoice.

And FWIW... my "nearly perfect" refers to the ability to hop. If I could park-hop with FP+. I would call them perfect, IMO.

 

[jensen]

I could not agree with you more on the magic bands. It was odd how free it felt to go down to the pool with nothing but my swimsuit and MB (well, the days it was warmer, at least).

Yes! It's hard to describe why they are so great... but, yours is a perfect example.

For me, it was not having to hand the kids a card every time we entered a park and then collect it again after we got inside.

Or saying, "Oh, I forgot my mug. DD will you please run back and grab it" and not having to dig out a key card.

Or not having to go answer the door if someone left the room and came back... they could just open it themselves.

Lots of little things... that just made MBs so appreciated!

 

[staceyeileen]

On multiple days, we did AK in the morning for safari and EE. EP in the afternoon to eat and drink around the world. DHS at dusk for RNR and TOT. Then MK for wishes and over to EP for Illuminations.

Wow, you're ambitious.

 

[v3rs3]

Glad there are some people that like it!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Here's the problem with your general statement "FP+ nearly perfect". Lines were short because you were there off off peak. Low attendance plays into FP+ limitations. The stark reality of FP+ is seen during peak times. How would your experience have changed during the middle of the summer, Pop Warner or Christmas? I think it's great you had an awesome time, but the only reason FP+ worked was due to when you went and not FP+ itself.

I was there during Pop Warner this past December, and I could not agree with the OP more. FP+ and Magic Bands worked exactly as intended, and we had a fabulous time.

 

[nkosiek]

If I can guarantee a FP+ on three rides and only stand in two lines during the high season... I don't think I'd complain. I'd rejoice.

And this is where you'll get flamed. You tend to view/go to Disney with an eye towards lots of relaxing while the people upset and who will tell you that you're wrong about things are people who do lots of rides. For those people, this system will suck. For relaxers, people who sleep in, or people who don't care to hit tons of rides, this will be a perfect system.

The more I spend time on these boards and read the FP+ stuff, the more these boards reflect the current political culture of the country (full of fighting, shouting, my way or the highway, not listening or taking other POVs into account, me, me, me.)

 

[PrincessJo]

Awsome!! We had a wonderful experience earlier this month. We also love magic bands and FP+.

Glad you had a great trip!!

 

[jensen]

Wow, you're ambitious.

If you think of Disney transportation as just another "ride", then it's not all that big a deal. We enjoy taking the monorail and boats between the parks.

I do hate the buses, though. So, we rent a car and avoid the buses much of the time. It's not faster, but I think people are so rude on the buses. Don't get me started...

On the days we hop to all the parks, we'll drive to AK in the morning. Then drive to EP for the afternoon. We take the boat over to DHS for the evening, hop the bus to MK for Wishes, then hop the monorail back to EP for Illuminations.

 

[luvthemouse71]

Wow, you're ambitious.

My sister and I had a couple of days like this too.. it was fun. We like to hop though.

 

[jensen]

And this is where you'll get flamed. You tend to view/go to Disney with an eye towards lots of relaxing.

Actually, we don't relax much at all. I consider us commando park people - except we don't do rope drop. We sleep until we wake up and get to the parks between 10-11 am. We skip breakfast, eat lunch about 3pm, stay until close and eat dinner after Illuminations. So, get back to our room about midnight.

We usually spend one afternoon by the pool. Otherwise, we are in the parks.

I'm back at work today and am dog-tired.

But, you're right. If you used to go during high season and used legacy FP to it's full advantage to ride one ride after the other without ever standing in a line, then you'll hate the new system.

 

[diskev]

We had very productive, full days this visit and only did maybe five rides a day... fewer on some days. The rest of the time was filled with fun activities that don't require lines - like watching fireworks, dining, shopping, laying by the pool...

Five rides? Yikes. I'm not paying WDW prices to sit by a pool. If I want to lounge around I'll go to the beach, where I have the ocean and a pool. I pay WDW prices to do things I can't do at home, like ride rides.

You are the new ideal Disney visitor. I'm disappointed that they favor you over me now but they've spoken with their changes and I'm speaking with my dollars. On the plus side, my kids will now get to experience what the rest of the world has to offer.

 

[diskev]

I was there during Pop Warner this past December, and I could not agree with the OP more. FP+ and Magic Bands worked exactly as intended, and we had a fabulous time.

Not quite. FP+ wasn't fully implemented like it is now.

 

[jensen]

Five rides? Yikes. I'm not paying WDW prices to sit by a pool. If I want to lounge around I'll go to the beach, where I have the ocean and a pool. I pay WDW prices to do things I can't do at home, like ride rides.

You are the new ideal Disney visitor. I'm disappointed that they favor you over me now but they've spoken with their changes and I'm speaking with my dollars. On the plus side, my kids will now get to experience what the rest of the world has to offer.

Maybe we are talking apples to oranges here... I only consider rides to be things I actually ride on. I don't count a character greeting or a show as a "ride".

I'm trying to count the number of (what I consider to be) rides at parks like DHS and AK... five seems like a lot.