Just returned - the sky is not falling!

[morethananyonex]

They didn't say their post was about magic bands and FP+. I think the problem is how you read it, not how they wrote it.

From the OP:

I am writing this because all of the negative/downer posts on the boards recently had us concerned for our trip.

Those "negative/downer" posts are almost all surrounding MB, FP+ and MDE. So in your opinion, what else would the above and "the sky is not falling" refer to?

 

[JMBCILLINOIS]

I wasn't trying to speak for everyone. Just my experience and my opinion. There is no doubt that I was glad that I was staying offsite. I was just offering some encouragement to others that are staying offsite under the currently run system.

 

[redsbe]

Exactly! As I was reading her post, I thought the same thing...how can you offer such a positive report on a new system when you used the old one? For those of us going in February, we will not have that option (probably) so we will be relying on FP+ and a tiered system...no matter what anyone says, that will restrict our ability to ride more attractions.

In all fairness to the poster they were simply presenting how they managed as an off site visitor without access to MB/FP+ during a busy park period with RD and FP- currently available to them, not what the future could hold or how on site MB/FP+ visitors are managing, but how those without access to MB/FP+ and standard park pass holders can manage over the upcoming holiday season - a potential audience of 1,000 going to WDW (and hundreds on these board) interested in that type of experience.

 

[Pixie Princess]

From the OP:



Those "negative/downer" posts are almost all surrounding MB, FP+ and MDE. So in your opinion, what else would the above and "the sky is not falling" refer to?

There are many, many "negative/downer" posts about how offsite visitors are at a disadvantage b/c they don't have access to FP+ thus are left with few FP- to pull from. And also the unfair advantage the onsite folks have being able to "double dip." Plenty of "sky falling" all around.

 

[Postal68]

Our strategy going in was to come up with a gameplan of what we wanted to do at each park and get there when the park opened. I can't stress that second part enough!!!

I stopped reading right here. That is why FP+ is horrible. The only way you can see anything is if you get up at 6 or 7 am and be there when the parks open. Uhhhhhh, I'm on vacation, I get up everyday at 4 am for work, I'm not getting up to get to a park when it opens. Haven't done it in almost yearly visits over 30+ years, and never will.

 

[quest4dl]

I just wish we knew what was coming and when! Right now I have alternate booking at The Swan in case I am limited to FP+ only and we are also now likely splitting our stay to Universal when the original plan was Disney only.

 

[redsbe]

I stopped reading right here. That is why FP+ is horrible. The only way you can see anything is if you get up at 6 or 7 am and be there when the parks open. Uhhhhhh, I'm on vacation, I get up everyday at 4 am for work, I'm not getting up to get to a park when it opens. Haven't done it in almost yearly visits over 30+ years, and never will.

Depends a lot on when you visit and crowd levels, RD strategy has been a solid approach to deal with crowds and ride most popular attractions like TSM, been that way for years. As parks get busier even with FP- and before FP+ getting FP- mid day or later, even during medium crowd dates was hard for rides like Soarin, TT and TSM. You must be visiting over last 30 years at low peak crowd dates or avoiding lines (waiting long to ride)and skipping the most popular attractions in recent visits.

 

[redsbe]

There are many, many "negative/downer" posts about how offsite visitors are at a disadvantage b/c they don't have access to FP+ thus are left with few FP- to pull from. And also the unfair advantage the onsite folks have being able to "double dip." Plenty of "sky falling" all around.

All depends how critical FP are to your visit along with riding the very most popular few attractions at each park, especially during peak crowds. For many visitors FP play minor role in their park experience so for those folks FP+ and MB does not mean the "sky is falling all around" as indicated the many positive reports still coming from recent visitors including those using MBs and limited FP+ and with no access to FP-. Speak for yourself and do not assume your view or experience is shared by everyone.

 

[Postal68]

Depends a lot on when you visit and crowd levels, RD strategy has been a solid approach to deal with crowds and ride most popular attractions like TSM, been that way for years. As parks get busier even with FP- and before FP+ getting FP- mid day or later, even during medium crowd dates was hard for rides like Soarin, TT and TSM. You must be visiting over last 30 years at low peak crowd dates or avoiding lines (waiting long to ride)and skipping the most popular attractions in recent visits.

Most of my visits were off peak, but not at the lowest times of the year. Mostly moderate levels and a few mid summer peak level trips. Even with those, we have NEVER done a single rope drop in over 30 years of WDW. I understand the strategy, but I also understand that relaxing on my vacation is more important than riding TSM 3 times before noon.

 

[lugnut33]

I'm glad you had a good time. However, the common thread among all of the positive reviews so far has been the availability of FP-. Once that goes away, the sky may indeed be falling.

That is 100% right. It will also be vitally important to be at the gates a minimum one hour before openingeven if you have FP+ selections made.

 

[morethananyonex]

That is 100% right. It will also be vitally important to be at the gates a minimum one hour before openingeven if you have FP+ selections made.

This is my fear.

A lot of people who are on the DIS don't realize what it's like when you don't go multiple times a year, every year or even every second year. When you have to spend tons of money just to get to Orlando, you tend to go less but stay for longer. You want to get everything done because you don't go often, but you still want it to be a relaxing vacation, sometimes it's our only one. FP+ seems to be changing that .

By the way, thanks for sharing your experiences from your recent trip. Knowing the issues people are facing in advance (instead of "We loved FP+! We booked before tiering and pulled FP- though, but it's awesome!") helps us to at least change our expectations for our February trip.

 

[sargenca]

Thanks JMBCILLINOIS for the report!! Glad to hear it went so well and during a holiday week too!

 

[Postal68]

This is my fear.

A lot of people who are on the DIS don't realize what it's like when you don't go multiple times a year, every year or even every second year. When you have to spend tons of money just to get to Orlando, you tend to go less but stay for longer. You want to get everything done because you don't go often, but you still want it to be a relaxing vacation, sometimes it's our only one. FP+ seems to be changing that .

You are correct. FP+ will severely limit the quantity the enjoyment of most guests. The people that go often will not be bothered by it as much, but the people that only visit once or once every so many years will in no way be able to do as much as they have in the past. Sure you will get a few guarantees with your FP+'s, but everything else will be in stand by lines that have wait times increased by large amounts of time because of all the FP being gone for that attraction or slower load times for the stand by line to accommodate all of the FP holders.

 

[Shaden]

Glad you had an awesome trip, but don't think your experience is anything of value to add to the conversation.

You were using FP-, and you went for rope drop, and said you got to ride stuff. While that's awesome for you, it has no relation to the people staying onsite who are going to be locked into FP+, particularly at all the values but Art Now.

No one has ever questioned that its awesome to do RD with FP- ... in fact everyone knows this. Just really not sure what point you were trying to make here ???

 

[Shaden]

That's great you had a good time at all, but none of what you're reporting changes any of the negativity that surrounds FP+ and Magic Bands. Truly, I haven't seen many people worried about offsite visits if FP- is still going.

You didn't have to deal with MB and their issues. You still had access to FP-, who knows how much longer that will be lasting. You weren't tied down by FP+ reservations and had the ability to change your plans on the fly if you wanted to. The vast majority of people's worries at this point have to do with bands not working, choosing FP+ way in advance (and tiering/no hopping), FP- access going away and the MDE app not working to modify on the go. With all due respect, your experience has nothing to do with any of that.

All it really tells us is that you managed the crowded Thanksgiving week well. That's great, but I'd bet that FP- is a thing of the past come next Thanksgiving anyways.

Exactly! As I was reading her post, I thought the same thing...how can you offer such a positive report on a new system when you used the old one? For those of us going in February, we will not have that option (probably) so we will be relying on FP+ and a tiered system...no matter what anyone says, that will restrict our ability to ride more attractions.

They didn't say their post was about magic bands and FP+. I think the problem is how you read it, not how they wrote it.

I agree with the two top posters complete.

Clearly the intent of this post is to counter the "negativity" (read, logical evaluations of a system that offers you less while you pay more). Indeed its titled "the sky is not falling"... would they post this if not for the conversation about FP+ ? No, because no one would ask the question "is the sky falling ??"

The poster is clearly addressing these issues, except posted an experience which has no relation to it in any way.

 

[lugnut33]

Glad you had an awesome trip, but don't think your experience is anything of value to add to the conversation. You were using FP-, and you went for rope drop, and said you got to ride stuff. While that's awesome for you, it has no relation to the people staying onsite who are going to be locked into FP+, particularly at all the values but Art Now. No one has ever questioned that its awesome to do RD with FP- ... in fact everyone knows this. Just really not sure what point you were trying to make here ???

I think he's just pointing out he had a good time. I was down there at the same time and also had a good time, but was very disturbed by what I see in the future.

 

[Shaden]

I think he's just pointing out he had a good time. I was down there at the same time and also had a good time, but was very disturbed by what I see in the future.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't imagine he would have titled this "sky isn't falling" if that was his/her intent. it would have been something "Just back, had an awesome time" and probably posted in the trip reports section.

I AM glad you are one of the people who can both see how things were great for them, but extrapolate into the future and see some of the potential implications.

 

[keldenz]

Glad you had a great time!!!

 

[davidl81]

Most of my visits were off peak, but not at the lowest times of the year. Mostly moderate levels and a few mid summer peak level trips. Even with those, we have NEVER done a single rope drop in over 30 years of WDW. I understand the strategy, but I also understand that relaxing on my vacation is more important than riding TSM 3 times before noon.

I don't see any reason why fast pass plus would be a bad thing for you. I actually think it will benefit someone with your touring style (seems similar to mine). We never get to a park at rope drop, and the last 3 or 4 times we went to wdw we could never get a fast pass to TSM because they were all gone 2 hours after the park opened. This trip we are on now could not have gone any better. We had our fast passes ahead of time and we were able to make same day changes several different days (including thanks giving day at 4pm for space mountain). I also don't need to ride a head liner ride three times a day, once is enough for me. If I really want to ride something twice I'll just ride single rider or wait till later in the evening and ride standby with a minimal wait. I do not like how people are predicting that fast pass plus will be a major failure based on how they feel about what may happen in the future. I am very much of the belief of letting disney fully roll out this process and then I'll make a judgement on weather I like it or not. All I know is that based on the trip I'm on now it has been great (I did not pull any old fast passes except for one at dinosaur just to see if my ap would pull a paper pass)

 

[morethananyonex]

I don't see any reason why fast pass plus would be a bad thing for you. I actually think it will benefit someone with your touring style (seems similar to mine). We never get to a park at rope drop, and the last 3 or 4 times we went to wdw we could never get a fast pass to TSM because they were all gone 2 hours after the park opened. This trip we are on now could not have gone any better. We had our fast passes ahead of time and we were able to make same day changes several different days (including thanks giving day at 4pm for space mountain). I also don't need to ride a head liner ride three times a day, once is enough for me. If I really want to ride something twice I'll just ride single rider or wait till later in the evening and ride standby with a minimal wait. I do not like how people are predicting that fast pass plus will be a major failure based on how they feel about what may happen in the future. I am very much of the belief of letting disney fully roll out this process and then I'll make a judgement on weather I like it or not. All I know is that based on the trip I'm on now it has been great (I did not pull any old fast passes except for one at dinosaur just to see if my ap would pull a paper pass)

Were your FP+ choices tiered?

I agree, that without tiering it works great for people who want to hit the parks later. I would be satisfied if I could book Soarin' and Test Track, TSMM and Rockin' Roller Coaster, all while having a leisurely morning at the hotel. The system isn't set up for that. If you want to ride all the headliners (even just once) without a long stand by wait you still need to get there for rope drop. There's not much improvement for people who don't hit rope drop unless they don't care about picking and choosing which popular rides to ride.

I would be willing to deal with the rigid aspect of FP+ if it truly meant we could have a relaxing vacation with our big rides booked. For a family who wants to do all the headliners, it just creates stress. We have to combine waking up early on vacation with being tied to plans made 60 days ago. Ick.