LOVE or HATE FP+ Anyone's mind been changed ??

[Angel Ariel]

This is somewhat different than you presented it the first time. I have much less objection to this (not that my opinion matters). So ya know. Here you're saying more that your friends prefer more beach time and are just wanting a taste of Disney, not so much a Disney trip they booked where you're saying don't go. I think FP+ does lend itself very much to these quick in-and-out, 4-hour jaunts, especially given they don't like rope drop. Again. I feel more at ease. Sorry for coming on so strong.

I never got that out of her first post. She was very clear that her friends wanted a more relaxed vacation with a lot of time at the pools and such, and refusing to make RD. It was pretty clear to me when I read her post that her friends were not interested in a "let's go to the parks all day" kind of Disney vacation.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't tell you to do marketing for them. . . I just asked why wouldn't it be helpful to say "Yes, you can have a fun trip to Disney and here's how" if you know the answer to that question? I actually don't think I'm arguing with you because while in this thread it looks like you're explaining the "hate" side of why I love it or hate it, I thought you had had type of change of heart because you miss your old vacation style but have found a new way to vacation that you think you're going to love?? I initially thought that thread was tongue-in-cheek, but given the great detail you've gone to and your personal assertions that you really mean it, I'm taking you at your word. I think I'm agreeing with you that it's valuable to discuss the negatives *and the workarounds*. . . is that not your stance?

You won't convince others. This thread is very much NOT tongue in cheek , as you can tell. It was moved away from the strategies board for a reason. Because the constant complaining is not a strategy.

ETA: you mention in a other post that you don't understand why it feels like arguing--that is because folks won't agree to disagree.

 

[Laketravis]

..It was moved away from the strategies board for a reason. Because the constant complaining is not a strategy.

It seems that some are always searching for justification to close or move a thread about FP.

Because "Pictures of things No Longer Seen at WDW" is a thread about park strategy? And "Just home, my thoughts" isn't a thread filled with complaints about diminished value?


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[larryz]

It was moved away from the strategies board for a reason. Because the constant complaining is not a strategy.

...unless, of course, your strategy to maximize your return on investment at WDW is to complain about every perceived slight to Guest Relations in hopes that they'll reward you for your trouble (or bribe you to just go away) by giving you special bennies...

 

[Cormoran]

...unless, of course, your strategy to maximize your return on investment at WDW is to complain about every perceived slight to Guest Relations in hopes that they'll reward you for your trouble (or bribe you to just go away) by giving you special bennies...

I like this idea! Maybe I should bring a jar of bugs into the park and see about creating a new Free Dining plan for may family!

 

[Laketravis]

...unless, of course, your strategy to maximize your return on investment at WDW is to complain about every perceived slight to Guest Relations in hopes that they'll reward you for your trouble (or bribe you to just go away) by giving you special bennies...

Is that a MOUSE in my soup???????????


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[flicx]

Dang it Lake you took the words right out of my mouth. I find it intriguing how many people on these boards are beginning to notice so many of the take aways, drop off in customer service etc going on at the world! Heck before long someone will want this thread moved again!

It seems that some are always searching for justification to close or move a thread about FP.

Because "Pictures of things No Longer Seen at WDW" is a thread about park strategy? And "Just home, my thoughts" isn't a thread filled with complaints about diminished value?


.

 

[larryz]

Is that a MOUSE in my soup???????????

You may laugh, but my last meal in a Disney restaurant was literally INFESTED by creatures! There were two chipmunks, two bears, and a meerkat that thought he was a raccoon...

 

[MrInfinity]

...unless, of course, your strategy to maximize your return on investment at WDW is to complain about every perceived slight to Guest Relations in hopes that they'll reward you for your trouble (or bribe you to just go away) by giving you special bennies...

Here here I move that this be moved BACK to the TPAS on the grounds that complaining has been unmistakably proven by forum quorum to be an actual strategy.

Dang it Lake you took the words right out of my mouth. I find it intriguing how many people on these boards are beginning to notice so many of the take aways, drop off in customer service etc going on at the world! Heck before long someone will want this thread moved again!

No comment.

 

[animalkingdom15]

I really love it now. I was finally able to get a FP for both Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade and Main Street Electrical Parade for this Saturday which I have been trying for the last couple weeks and couldn't so I had them on separate days. Now this frees up Sunday to do whatever park wise.

 

[jade1]

RNR and TSM available at the kiosk yesterday just an FYI.

 

[Laketravis]

RNR and TSM available at the kiosk yesterday just an FYI.

Jade, are you sure? Last time I tried a kiosk everything was listed like that and you couldn't tell until you selected them and moved to the next screen if they were actually available or not.

Tricked me more than once.


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[YesMickey]

We just got back the other day from being at the World last weekend. I figured out you had to "reserve" your FPs for early in the day so you could get some at a different park. The thing that got me was that I would have two FPs that we would not use because you HAVE to get three. That makes no sense to me at all. Why can't you just get one, and then when it expires get another etc. etc. The ride we would want to ride would usually be the latest one (just before lunch time or so). We are the type to show up at rope drop and ride as much as possible until our FP time and then go get another one, sometimes at another park. It ended up working out for us. Just don't get that you have to get three. Makes no sense.

 

[tstottle]

After DAYS I'm nearly at the end of this thread (not quite there yet). . . .but THIS is why I sometimes post on these endless FP+ stinks/is awesome posts. I was afraid before my trip and hate that others may be too. It's easier said than done to shut out negativity while still accessing the vast amount of extremely helpful DIS info.

I wish I could change the minds of the FP detractors, or at least soften the sometimes vehement opposition because the anticipation of a trip should be part of the FUN and it bums me out that a small number of FP+ detractors posting very frequently makes it appear that a larger number are all in agreement that vacations are ruined or severely reduced now. This is especially frustrating when I realized that some of the posters I put a lot of weight on turned out to have never even used the new system! before I started trying to pay attention to "who", I was trying to focus on their information only. Some people with tons of posts and long-ago join dates gave me info I considered heavily until I realized I was counted the same opinion repeated 10 times as 10 different opinions.

People on both sides have legitimate experiences to share, but for *me* the cost of being negatively influenced by detractors explaining that WDW kind of sucks now outweighed the benefit of their experience, so I try to pop in to say:

I was scared off before I went. I used but didn't "power use" the old system. The planning with FP+ was a bit intimidating and/or felt like "work" sometimes. However- once in the parks, I experienced higher crowds than past trips and was VERY GLAD to have put in the planning. My trip went great! My wait times were acceptable to good for my family. FP+ enhanced our vacation and I like it now.

Thank you for your reply. While all of the advance planning (even more than before) is a pain, and kind of takes some of the fun out of it, I am a planner by nature and I KNOW that it will make our park days more enjoyable. I will keep a good attitude and just plan on having just a magical time as before, but with less flexibility. What concerns me most I guess is that while opinions are mixed on FP+, almost everyone is experiencing higher crowds and longer lines. Is this just a recent trend in the past 2 years? Why? (Guess it doesn't matter). I am trying to figure out why FP+ would cause more crowds and more lines but don't understand it. More crowds concern me; we go during July and have managed fine in the past. But the thought of 45 minute non FP lines all day or walking around from attraction to attraction and only finding super long lines makes me worry. With FP- and Rope Drop, we did WAY WAY more than 3 headliners per day with less than 15 minute waits. If I am supposed to be happy about 3 guaranteed FPs, I'm not, not at all. But thank you for your comments; I will go in with a positive attitude and open mind!

 

[Angel Ariel]

FWIW, in November we only had a handful of rides other than our fp+ that we waited standby for more than 25-30 mins. We were there over wine and dine 1/2 marathon weekend. I'm sure July is more crowded, but it was pretty crowded even that weekend, so keep hope. I'll cross my fingers for you that waits aren't that long

 

[jade1]

Yea it was for a couple that had no idea what to do, they were very pleased.

 

[MrInfinity]

What concerns me most I guess is that while opinions are mixed on FP+, almost everyone is experiencing higher crowds and longer lines. Is this just a recent trend in the past 2 years? Why? (Guess it doesn't matter). I am trying to figure out why FP+ would cause more crowds and more lines but don't understand it.

Yep, attendance has been up every quarter since I've been following -- the last 2 years or so. It feels packed, even on what might reported as moderate days. I can't imagine July... Hotter and ever more crowded? Then you've got the crowd that used to take full advantage of FP- to pretty much never wait in a line. To this crowd, the fact that they now can only do this 3 times, makes the lines seem longer because they're having to wait in lines they never did before. This is where most of the long lines angst comes from. FP+ does not cause more crowds in itself, but if you used to not wait for anything, and now you have to wait for some things, that's going seen as longer lines. On top of it you've got the rest of the guests who pretty much never used the old system, and these guests are now each getting 3 Fast Passes, so the ex-pros have to wait for the average guest to get their rides too.

"we did WAY WAY more than 3 headliners per day with less than 15 minute waits."

Ditto... and you should, now. I might nix the two "WAY's" tho. You'll do more than 3, but not 12. Especially if you do rope drop. Even the most put off of guests would agree that 3-and-done was more of a vent and not the case in practice. At the MK, you can pull FPs well into the afternoon. At the AK, nobody is really complaining about the waits, since the 3 FP+ you get covers the cool rides there. At Epcot and DHS, it's good to combine rope drop or late nights if you want to ride a lot of Soarin, TT, Toy Story or Rockin. I'd expect these to be 60-90 most of the day, especially in July. These rides are overly-popular not so much because of the ride, but more there's only 2 primo rides at each park. So, the FP+'s to them go fast, and guests are limited to 1 per day due to simple capacity.

"If I am supposed to be happy about 3 guaranteed FPs, I'm not, not at all."

How did you fare before? If you were in the group of folks who pulled lots of Fast Passes in the past, and you expect to be able to do that now, you can't. You get your 3. Everyone gets the same, and it's difficult to pull any more than the next guy. On the other hand, the 3 you pull are pulled more efficiently than before. Like if you would have gotten an 11am, then a 7pm return time, now you can line them up... 11-12-1... and pick them around where you'll be dining, and not be stuck waiting for that 7pm one, or having to come back to it later.

"I am a planner by nature and I KNOW that it will make our park days more enjoyable"

If you like to plan, it is great! You can organize your mornings in more efficient ways. Pick your return times, line up your rides back to back, squeeze in a B-ride in between them, or whatever you want to do. For this and other reasons, I happen to like it. I make a spreadsheet, and my family thinks I'm crazy for doing so. If I could pull a FP+ to both Toy Story and Rockin in the same day, I'd say FP+ is awesome. But since you can't, I like it but wouldn't go that far.

 

[tstottle]

Thanks, good thoughts. Yes, we are be one of those families that didn't really wait in lines before (except from say 12-4), with our timing and FP management, so that will be an adjustment. But yes, the timing will also change, or the fact that there could be a chance of getting a FP for say, Space Mountain, after 2pm on a busy day. And it may make it easier to park hop...maybe...if we can group our FP+ up and then move on.

As for the crowds, I am hoping that many of the "longer lines, more crowded" perspectives are from non-peak time visitors. All we know are summer crowd levels, so we're definitely used to crowds and had that managed in the past. So maybe we won't see a huge difference?

In the past we have felt that around 7:00 the lines drop considerably. Is this the case anymore? Especially at MK. Maybe not so much at HS. And at AK, we've gone an hour before closing and hit Everest a couple of times and then dinosaur. Do the crowds still drop off later in the day? (Also we're not parade people so we use that as a line-avoiding strategy as well).

I Appreciate all of the opinions and experiences here.

 

[Laketravis]

In the past we have felt that around 7:00 the lines drop considerably. Is this the case anymore? Especially at MK. Maybe not so much at HS. And at AK, we've gone an hour before closing and hit Everest a couple of times and then dinosaur. Do the crowds still drop off later in the day? (Also we're not parade people so we use that as a line-avoiding strategy as well).

I Appreciate all of the opinions and experiences here.

I find it useful checking actual wait times using links like this: Current Wait Times

Helps me to get a handle on what wait times could be for a particular crowd level day for a particular attraction at a particular time.

For instance, today is a "5" crowd level day with HS recommended. I just checked and found the following wait times:

Muppet*Vision 3D 5 Min
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster 20 Min
Star Tours 10 Min
The Great Movie Ride 5 Min
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 80 Min
Toy Story Midway Mania! 40 Min

Interesting that Tower of Terror has twice the wait time of TSMM but I think half of it is currently closed for refurb.

This gives a pretty good idea of what a "5" day might look like at 2pm in the afternoon. I checked FP+ availability as well and there's nothing left for TSMM or ToT.



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[JimmyV]

It seems that some are always searching for justification to close or move a thread about FP.

Because "Pictures of things No Longer Seen at WDW" is a thread about park strategy? And "Just home, my thoughts" isn't a thread filled with complaints about diminished value?


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How about this, to keep it in the fold???

(To be read with a sing/song, saccharine sweet, obnoxiously happy, Brownie Troop leader voice in your head)
Hey everybody! Let's play the I LOVE/HATE FP+ alphabet game!! We'll start with "LOVE". I'll go first...

A: Always Available!