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

[SmithSmith]

You'll be surprised to know btw...that we are doing a few days on property in May....we're booked for off property but because of friends coming down who will be on prop; we added 3 nights at the Poly to be able to spend time with them hanging by the pool etc. Of course we now find out the pool may not open as scheduled even though CM's are still saying it will be opened next month but that's a whole other story...

I know, I'm aware. I kinda skimmed your thread about the trouble you were having with your friends changing their minds. Sounds like a headache! Sorry, I didn't comment but I didn't have any advice to offer since I've never been in that situation.

Good luck with park touring in May. Try to take advantage of a LATE EMH at Magic Kingdom. It was seriously the best fun we had at the parks.

 

[cakebaker]

Well, I never found late EMH to be great, cuz we tend to stay till EMH, see lines are still long, and leave, cuz we have little kids. I think to get the late EMH benefit, you have to stay an extra hour to let those regular crowd lines filter thru the ride. After that, I bet it'd be pretty good. We just don't stay that late.

That's exactly right. I think a lot of folks do just what you do- stay still closing, realize that at closing it's still crowded and leave. It's the back end of EMH where the park empties and rides are walk ons. I have pics with a perfect view of the castle and no one I don't know in sight.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Do any of you think that the next incarnation of FP+ should be structured like the Express Pass at Universal? Free and unlimited to guests who stay at the deluxe, on-property hotels and paid for at the gate by all other guests who choose to buy it?

There are too many Deluxe rooms at Disney to make this a viable option. Though I will say that I am very much looking forward to our Deluxe Universal stay this summer. It's nice to feel like there are some perks associated with the price you pay, beyond just location.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This weekend is the Princess 1/2 Marathon. I would be willing to bet that has a lot more to do with tonight's wait times than FP+ does. RunDisney events increase the crowds no matter what time of year it is.

Expounding on this...I looked at the wait time line graphs on Touring Plans for the Princess 1/2 weekend in 2013 - pre FP+ - and most of the observed wait times (pinkish line on the graph) around appx 7pm eastern are very similar to tonight's waits that LT posted around appx 7pm eastern. The measurable differences I see from a quick look:

Peter Pan: appx 50 mins in 2013, 100 mins in LT's post
POTC: appx 10-15 mins in 2013, 40 mins in LT's post

HM's is slightly higher tonight than it was around appx the same time on this Friday in 2013, but only by about 10 mins. (10-15 in wait went up to 25 in LT's post).

Looking at 2014, Peter Pan also had about a 50-60 in wait at appx 7pm (no spike anywhere up to 100 mins), and POTC in 2014 was also similar to the 2013 numbers - as was Haunted Mansion.

The major difference, aside from potential attendance which none of us knows, is that in Feb 2014 FP+ was not available to offsite guests yet - nor was the 4th FP+ a possibility yet. Overall, though, wait times are not incredibly different than 2013, pre-FP+. I really think the marathon has more to do with it than anything else.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Maybe just the higher end deluxe hotels to filter it even further.

I think Disney's going to have issues with its hotel guests if it starts subdividing within its own hotel levels.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

That's exactly right. I think a lot of folks do just what you do- stay still closing, realize that at closing it's still crowded and leave. It's the back end of EMH where the park empties and rides are walk ons. I have pics with a perfect view of the castle and no one I don't know in sight.

Was this during the summer or some other time of year? We've attended two summer EMHs (one when EMH ended at 1:00 a.m., the other at 2:00 a.m.) and I was shocked at the number of people who stuck it out until the end. I figured it was a summer thing, since it was so flipping hot during the day that touring the park out of the glare of the sun was ideal. I was shocked at the number of people with little kids who still were dragging them through the park at 1 a.m.

 

[AustinTink]

I think Disney's going to have issues with its hotel guests if it starts subdividing within its own hotel levels.

Probably, but Universal is already doing it. Cabana Bay guests do not received an Express Pass with their stay.

 

[cakebaker]

Was this during the summer or some other time of year? We've attended two summer EMHs (one when EMH ended at 1:00 a.m., the other at 2:00 a.m.) and I was shocked at the number of people who stuck it out until the end. I figured it was a summer thing, since it was so flipping hot during the day that touring the park out of the glare of the sun was ideal. I was shocked at the number of people with little kids who still were dragging them through the park at 1 a.m.

It's been consistent thru the years- mostly early to mid June. Some late July and then the 2 outlier trips this past year in August and October. I haven't really ever noticed a time when EMH didn't work well- the later the better. Yeah, we would've been one of those "dragging" our little one thru the parks. But he was a baby- sleep is sleep to him. Now that he's a toddler, we won't be able to get away with it anymore, so EMH for someone in our group isn't happening this year.

 

[SmithSmith]

Expounding on this...I looked at the wait time line graphs on Touring Plans for the Princess 1/2 weekend in 2013 - pre FP+ - and most of the observed wait times (pinkish line on the graph) around appx 7pm eastern are very similar to tonight's waits that LT posted around appx 7pm eastern. The measurable differences I see from a quick look:

Peter Pan: appx 50 mins in 2013, 100 mins in LT's post
POTC: appx 10-15 mins in 2013, 40 mins in LT's post

HM's is slightly higher tonight than it was around appx the same time on this Friday in 2013, but only by about 10 mins. (10-15 in wait went up to 25 in LT's post).

Looking at 2014, Peter Pan also had about a 50-60 in wait at appx 7pm (no spike anywhere up to 100 mins), and POTC in 2014 was also similar to the 2013 numbers - as was Haunted Mansion.

The major difference, aside from potential attendance which none of us knows, is that in Feb 2014 FP+ was not available to offsite guests yet - nor was the 4th FP+ a possibility yet. Overall, though, wait times are not incredibly different than 2013, pre-FP+. I really think the marathon has more to do with it than anything else.

Thanks for digging up these numbers, Ariel. In the past I've noticed waits times like these too. It'll be what you observed, a few daunting spikes, but the majority aren't so bad. Yes, wait times at second tier attractions are up, but I've noticed quite a few times that they've only been up by 5 minutes. Makes me think that there are added factors besides FP+, like crowds.

 

[Laketravis]

Was this during the summer or some other time of year? We've attended two summer EMHs (one when EMH ended at 1:00 a.m., the other at 2:00 a.m.) and I was shocked at the number of people who stuck it out until the end. I figured it was a summer thing, since it was so flipping hot during the day that touring the park out of the glare of the sun was ideal. I was shocked at the number of people with little kids who still were dragging them through the park at 1 a.m.

We were disappointed to find that was our experience as well over the Thanksgiving holidays last year and the year before. In 2013 DS was excited about staying up until 3am and closing down MK but we ended up leaving by 2am because the crowds were still (unbelievably to us) high. Same thing happened this past holiday season, actually it seemed to be a little worse because they let everyone in the SB lines right up to regular close and people with FP's were still spilling into the FP queue up until the last minute - so when the park "closed" and EMH started there was still (for example) a 60 minute standby line that had to dissipate as well as people in the FP line.

Morning EMH seemed better.



.

 

[AustinTink]

There are too many Deluxe rooms at Disney to make this a viable option. Though I will say that I am very much looking forward to our Deluxe Universal stay this summer. It's nice to feel like there are some perks associated with the price you pay, beyond just location.

I would never say never on this one. I'm with you on the deluxe Universal stay. We are really looking forward to our next trip and the relaxed feeling that goes along with the perks of their Express Pass.

 

[wisblue]

To add to the discussion about tonight's wait times, I checked at 8:30 EST and a number of those wait times have come down even further. POC is down to a posted time of 20 minutes, IASW is 15, and so on. With the MK open until midnight, it looks like anyone willing to put on a coat and stay up late is going to have a lot of things to do.

 

[cakebaker]

I think Disney's going to have issues with its hotel guests if it starts subdividing within its own hotel levels.

Unless they restricted it to on site only, with no purchasing ability for off site, it would never work. Too many people. And to restrict to on site only would infuriate off site guests. Charging for fp at WDW is not going to happen in my opinion...in any form.

 

[AustinTink]

Even then, the number of guests at the high end resorts combined with WDW's higher overall attendance makes that unlikely.

They would have to find a way another way to filter the deluxe hotels. You get the pass if you pay full rack rate, stay during such and such dates, stay for x amount of days, etc.

 

[SmithSmith]

To add to the discussion about tonight's wait times, I checked at 8:30 EST and a number of those wait times have come down even further. POC is down to a posted time of 20 minutes, IASW is 15, and so on. With the MK open until midnight, it looks like anyone willing to put on a coat and stay up late is going to have a lot of things to do.

Oh! Wouldn't it be fun to be there tonight?! 40 degrees is nuthin, much better than the negative whatever it is here right now!

 

[AustinTink]

Unless they restricted it to on site only, with no purchasing ability for off site, it would never work. Too many people. And to restrict to on site only would infuriate off site guests. Charging for fp at WDW is not going to happen in my opinion...in any form.

I wouldn't mind paying for FP the way I pay for Express Pass at Universal. The room rates have gone up quite a bit to pay for the "free" perk of express pass and I'm happy to pay it. I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is to tour the park way I choose.

 

[cakebaker]

I wouldn't mind paying for FP the way I pay for Express Pass at Universal. The room rates have gone up quite a bit to pay for the "free" perk of express pass and I'm happy to pay it. I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is to get tour the park way I choose.

As are a lot of guests who stay on site at Disney. There are cheaper ways to go with both parks, depends on what's important to you and what isn't. But as I and others have said, the sheer number of people who visit Disney each day makes that impossible to work.

 

[AustinTink]

As are a lot of guests who stay on site at Disney. There are cheaper ways to go with both parks, depends on what's important to you and what isn't.

My family's limited vacation time and the freedom to tour the way choose without tight restrictions are what's most important to me. I'd be willing to pay for FPs to get both of those things back.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Probably, but Universal is already doing it. Cabana Bay guests do not received an Express Pass with their stay.

I wasn't under the impression Cabana Bay was considered in the same "level" of Universal resort as the other two (to use a WDW analogy, I thought it was like a moderate or something, whiel the others were deluxe). I may very well be wrong here, this is just what my understanding is.

Disney already has a division in their hotels - value/moderate/deluxe. Everyone understands when they book that Deluxe resorts have different amenities than moderates, etc. If they start saying - officially - "well, Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk are considered "not as Deluxe" as Grand Floridian, Poly, Contemporary, then I think they're going to have some issues with PR. I understand many guests may view some of those hotels to be on different levels for various resort-related reasons (the 7 in 7 podcasts are a good example of why/how), but that's different than Disney coming out and officially giving the latter better in park amenities than the others.

 

[cakebaker]

I wasn't under the impression Cabana Bay was considered in the same "level" of Universal resort as the other two (to use a WDW analogy, I thought it was like a moderate or something, whiel the others were deluxe). I may very well be wrong here, this is just what my understanding is.

Disney already has a division in their hotels - value/moderate/deluxe. Everyone understands when they book that Deluxe resorts have different amenities than moderates, etc. If they start saying - officially - "well, Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk are considered "not as Deluxe" as Grand Floridian, Poly, Contemporary, then I think they're going to have some issues with PR. I understand many guests may view some of those hotels to be on different levels for various resort-related reasons (the 7 in 7 podcasts are a good example of why/how), but that's different than Disney coming out and officially giving the latter better in park amenities than the others.

I agree. Cabana Bay isn't considered to be on the same level as their other hotels. Although I have to say, while I can't put my finger on it, I just didn't like the idea that one on site hotel got shorted on perks at Universal. We stayed on site to get the pass- ended up not needing it- but that's when I realized they did this and it just didn't sit well with me- and honestly, I don't why. I still don't like the idea. I don't think Disney will ever do it.