Legacy FP Machine SHUT DOWN at Magic Kingdom!!!!!!!!!!

[btk2333]

DD has always napped well in the parks. If we had a FP and she was sleeping, we'd just ride one at a time while the other parent waited with her. We went with DD as an 8 month old and a 15 month old this past year, and had no issues at all using legacy FP- (and did get 5-7 of them throughout the day at MK).

so have you tried do the same thing if the little one is napping when your FP+ time comes up? You could also reschedule the FP+ to a later time if it is an attraction the little one might enjoy- I've had good luck rescheduling and that is a positive that was not possible with legacy FP.

 

[crostorfer]

Uhhhh....when I can stay at Royal Pacific Resort on Universal property with an AP rate of $85/night and get free FOTL for a week then they seem like a clear winner to me.

People are correct when they say Universal Orlando doesn't have a FP+. That is about the only correct part of that statement. If you stay on site at Universal you get SOOOO much more than a FP, for less money.

 

[Manders77]

Are you sure you read the fine print at the bottom of the paper FP? I have grabbed approximately A TON of Fps and it always stated that we could pull another FP 2 hours into the future.

I could be wrong and maybe that is the case sometimes. I personally never had to do that.

Like I said I could of been stupid, But I remember trying to get another one at one point and it wouldn't let me, I thought it was more than 2 hours after the last one, who knows it was awhile ago. And when I was an AP Holder we hardly used FP's because lines were short and if they were longer than 20 minutes we didn't ride.

 

[Mad Hattered]

When FP first came out the system needed to be tweaked- 2 hours was not always the maximum time before getting another FP. Now in 2012 it was 2 hours; however, if PP was remembering something from earlier on, there is a chance that he had a different new FP time.

It's important to remember that the original FP system needed quite a bit of tweaking as well.

Possibly, but I have gone several times a year for a loooooong time and I don't recall that. Maybe they were messing with it in between times we visited?

 

[xie]

Drink more beer

I'm technically a newbie compared to many on these boards, the majority of my time in the past was spent on the Dining (yum) and Resort boards. Hardly ever even peeked in here 'cuz I wasn't much into IASM, height checks, and glitter t-shirts.

But then FP+ came along and for the first time I started looking at WDW from a pure business and operations perspective.

So I'm wondering - has there ever been as much controversy over anything as there has been with FP+ ?

In the 16 years I've been paying close attention, no.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Like I said I could of been stupid, But I remember trying to get another one at one point and it wouldn't let me, I thought it was more than 2 hours after the last one, who knows it was awhile ago. And when I was an AP Holder we hardly used FP's because lines were short and if they were longer than 20 minutes we didn't ride.

No one is calling you stupid. It very well could have gone through a phase like that.

 

[Manders77]

When FP first came out the system needed to be tweaked- 2 hours was not always the maximum time before getting another FP. Now in 2012 it was 2 hours; however, if PP was remembering something from earlier on, there is a chance that he had a different new FP time.

It's important to remember that the original FP system needed quite a bit of tweaking as well.

I was referring between 2006-2009. Now in 2012 I never read the bottom and just assumed the same thing was in place. But with two special needs kids below age 5, our touring didn't involve many FP's except for rides like Peter Pan, Dumbo (when it moved) and the characters, and TSM at HS. We did shows and parades since my kids loved that stuff. And we never heard of GAC or now the DAS. Which next time we may try for.

 

[btk2333]

Possibly, but I have gone several times a year for a loooooong time and I don't recall that. Maybe they were messing with it in between times we visited?

When FP first launched in 1999 you could only hold one FP at a time regardless of the return time- granted there were fewer FP rides then, but if you pulled a FP for ToT at 10:00 with a return time of 2:00 PM, then you could not pull another FP until 2:00PM. I'm pretty sure they tweaked it down over time to get to the final two hour max before a new FP, but it is definitely possible that the PP visited at times when the FP system was different than the final system.

Although I stand corrected by the post right above me

 

[Mitch_in_GA]

Drink more beer

So I'm wondering - has there ever been as much controversy over anything as there has been with FP+ ?

Speaking of beer and controversy, there was that time when Figment, angry over his latest Q rating, drunkenly dared a group of camera-toting tourist to "imagine this!".

 

[3happydancers]

OK. I used to live in Orlando and was an AP holder for 8 years before moving to VA. The last time I visited WDW was 2012. With little ones FP- was used alittle bit -not much. We got spoiled being passholders going during down times. Now maybe I was stupid but when I got a FP- for TSM at HS, let's say it was for 3:30 - I got it at 10am. It wouldn't let me pull another until 2:30, 1 hr before. I remember going to a machine and it wouldn't let me get one somewhere else. So how could people pull 8 FP's all for different rides for the whole day??

Anyways I don't have a opinion of FP+ yet, but it seems it will work for my family. I guess I will have to wait and see.

Well, for us, we use to pull a paper FP for TSM and quickly learned about the amount of time we had to wait for another FP. So we reversed what we did. We'd simply ride TSM at RD. The line was always short because most were online pulling the fast pass. Then we'd head over to the roller coaster pull a fast past and jump in the stand by line because it was still early enough where the lines were short. This afforded us to pull additional fast passes about an hour later; and so on.

 

[Manders77]

No one is calling you stupid. It very well could have gone through a phase like that.

I know, I called myself that, Having an AP made me that way by not using FP. I just remembered being turned down trying to get FP's for most of my day, so I would say screw it and go home. That was before kids. DH is a pilot and was out of town alot so I just spent my time at WDW.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Speaking of beer and controversy, there was that time when Figment, angry over his latest Q rating, drunkenly dared a group of camera-toting tourist to "imagine this!".

 

[bcrook]

They are still better than Universal. At least with Disney, you get three free FPs. Universal you get none. Disney is several feet ahead of the competition.

My friends are not new to Disney they having a touring style. Having to stop and spend time at kiosks to set up their day plans instead of being able to do this online is not a + for them.

They are also worried about availability issues - because they just don't know what to expect.

They booked this trip quite a long time ago, so there was no way for them to know this is how it would be.

I think that is enough to make them concerned.

I honestly didn't say anything other than, "maybe it will change in the next month." He didn't seem hopeful.

I think it is tough for the off site guests to be at such a great disadvantage so quickly. He said, he wished he could just see what FP were available the night before so they wouldn't have to wonder.

 

[Angel Ariel]

so have you tried do the same thing if the little one is napping when your FP+ time comes up? You could also reschedule the FP+ to a later time if it is an attraction the little one might enjoy- I've had good luck rescheduling and that is a positive that was not possible with legacy FP.

That wasn't the point I was trying to make. You discussed maximizing activity by going to RD and evening EMH. I was pointing out that that isn't an option for many people. For us, FP- was our way of being able to maximize our time in the parks, as we pretty much have to be in the parks during the midday time when crowds are highest (since late isn't an option, and early is iffy).

No matter what way you slice it, 3 FP+s is less than the 5-7 we were able to get in MK previously. Thus, we will be waiting in more lines than we have in the past, and therefore not maximizing our time as much as we had previously.

In fact, using FP+ could even cause us to spend more time apart as a family - something I did e-mail Disney about. If DH and I are there alone, we basically have to choose to either FP+ the rides DD can ride that need it (think PP, ETWB, etc) or FPing the rides we want to ride (the mountains). If we FP her rides to minimize the chances of toddler meltdowns, that means standing in potentially long SB lines for the mtns (esp. during spring break season, when we were there last year)..which means our family being apart (1 parent in line, one w/her) while waiting. With the 60min+ SB times over spring break, that's not an option that thrills me. OTOH, if we FP our rides, then we have a toddler in a long line (as PP, ETWB can be just as long as the mtns in busy seasons) upping the meltdown possibilities.

These are not choices we had to make when we could get more than 3 FPs in a day. We used FP in conjunction with Rider Swap DH and were able to get many rides done in 1 day in mk. we could enjoy our rides, we could get FPs for DDs as well, and everyone was well rested and happy.

 

[btk2333]

That wasn't the point I was trying to make. You discussed maximizing activity by going to RD and evening EMH. I was pointing out that that isn't an option for many people. For us, FP- was our way of being able to maximize our time in the parks, as we pretty much have to be in the parks during the midday time when crowds are highest (since late isn't an option, and early is iffy).

No matter what way you slice it, 3 FP+s is less than the 5-7 we were able to get in MK previously. Thus, we will be waiting in more lines than we have in the past, and therefore not maximizing our time as much as we had previously.

In fact, using FP+ could even cause us to spend more time apart as a family - something I did e-mail Disney about. If DH and I are there alone, we basically have to choose to either FP+ the rides DD can ride that need it (think PP, ETWB, etc) or FPing the rides we want to ride (the mountains). If we FP her rides to minimize the chances of toddler meltdowns, that means standing in potentially long SB lines for the mtns (esp. during spring break season, when we were there last year)..which means our family being apart (1 parent in line, one w/her) while waiting. With the 60min+ SB times over spring break, that's not an option that thrills me. OTOH, if we FP our rides, then we have a toddler in a long line (as PP, ETWB can be just as long as the mtns in busy seasons) upping the meltdown possibilities.

These are not choices we had to make when we could get more than 3 FPs in a day. DH and I could enjoy our rides, we could get FPs for DDs as well, and everyone was well rested and happy.

I'm not trying to tell you your vacations won't change at all- I'm trying to help you maximize your time given the new rules. It's pretty obvious things aren't going back to exclusively legacy FP. It is no longer possible to maximize your time the way you used to be able to. The number of FP+ may increase to four, tiering may be altered, deluxe resort guests may get more FP+ than the rest, any number of other changes could still happen- but the system is here to stay in some way, shape or form. You will have fewer FPs than you previously did- the question is what will you do about about it and will it result in you waiting in more lines? It has not for me- but I am not traveling with an 18 month old. I understand not wanting things to change- but they are changing- you are well within your rights to decide the change is too drastic and will change your vacations for the negative and choose to go somewhere else- Disney knows with all changes that there is a chance they will lose visitors for some reason or another.

 

[cigar95]

I was a double, triple, and quadruple dipper. Go ahead and lock me up, it was worth it.

As a science experiment on Saturday at the Studios - a day when crowds were light and FP was largely unnecessary on most attractions, I found that the system permitted quintuple - and, by extension, probably unlimited - dipping, with several media. In addition to already having FP+ reservations, I found that the legacy machines were willing to accept, in order:
1 - My Tyvek annual pass, which was tied to the same MagicBand that holds the FP+
2 - My KTTW card at AK Lodge, one of the resorts still giving out cards as other than a non-FP-alternative to the MagicBands, and which is also tied to the same Annual Pass
3 - My room key from last September, which was tied to the same annual pass, but which was NOT usable to open my current room - hence the cards are not 100% mutually interchangeable
4 - My wife's room key from the same September trip, and which is only tied to a now-consumed seven day hopper and has not been used on this trip at all.
At this point I was going to try my Discover Card and see if the system had returned entirely to the days of 1999, but I was afraid what the outcome might be. Had that worked, my next step might have been to try inserting a liverwurst sandwich to see if that would provide a FP as well.

In the end, I didn't use these passes, as it was just a science experiment. Had I really wanted to experience <insert ride name here> five times, the standby line last Saturday would have allowed me to do so with little or no problem.

 

[lugnut33]

I was using room keys from 2008 and everything else I could. I was like the Anonymous of WDW.

 

[dayvewc]

As a science experiment on Saturday at the Studios - a day when crowds were light and FP was largely unnecessary on most attractions, I found that the system permitted quintuple - and, by extension, probably unlimited - dipping, with several media. In addition to already having FP+ reservations, I found that the legacy machines were willing to accept, in order:
1 - My Tyvek annual pass, which was tied to the same MagicBand that holds the FP+
2 - My KTTW card at AK Lodge, one of the resorts still giving out cards as other than a non-FP-alternative to the MagicBands, and which is also tied to the same Annual Pass
3 - My room key from last September, which was tied to the same annual pass, but which was NOT usable to open my current room - hence the cards are not 100% mutually interchangeable
4 - My wife's room key from the same September trip, and which is only tied to a now-consumed seven day hopper and has not been used on this trip at all.
At this point I was going to try my Discover Card and see if the system had returned entirely to the days of 1999, but I was afraid what the outcome might be. Had that worked, my next step might have been to try inserting a liverwurst sandwich to see if that would provide a FP as well.

In the end, I didn't use these passes, as it was just a science experiment. Had I really wanted to experience <insert ride name here> five times, the standby line last Saturday would have allowed me to do so with little or no problem.

Now I'm curious as to HOW you would insert said sandwich!!

 

[Mad Hattered]

As a science experiment on Saturday at the Studios - a day when crowds were light and FP was largely unnecessary on most attractions, I found that the system permitted quintuple - and, by extension, probably unlimited - dipping, with several media. In addition to already having FP+ reservations, I found that the legacy machines were willing to accept, in order:
1 - My Tyvek annual pass, which was tied to the same MagicBand that holds the FP+
2 - My KTTW card at AK Lodge, one of the resorts still giving out cards as other than a non-FP-alternative to the MagicBands, and which is also tied to the same Annual Pass
3 - My room key from last September, which was tied to the same annual pass, but which was NOT usable to open my current room - hence the cards are not 100% mutually interchangeable
4 - My wife's room key from the same September trip, and which is only tied to a now-consumed seven day hopper and has not been used on this trip at all.
At this point I was going to try my Discover Card and see if the system had returned entirely to the days of 1999, but I was afraid what the outcome might be. Had that worked, my next step might have been to try inserting a liverwurst sandwich to see if that would provide a FP as well.

In the end, I didn't use these passes, as it was just a science experiment. Had I really wanted to experience <insert ride name here> five times, the standby line last Saturday would have allowed me to do so with little or no problem.

I actually did try that on our day in September. I didn't work. But if I can be honest, I was kinda hoping it would just keep my card.

I did successfully use our KTTW cards from October of 2012, though. I couldn't quite climb to the ranks of the triple dipper...but I gave it hell trying to.

 

[Silock]

RD at morning EMH park, hop to a different park where you have your FP+, then enjoy the night at evening EMH/whichever park is open late that night (since not every night has an evening EMH park)- you'll still get plenty done if you don't want to stop.

Yeah, I do actually need to get some sleep at some point, though.