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

[wisblue]

10 PM at the MK and with MSEP about to start, only PP and 7DMT (50 minutes each) have posted wait times longer than 15 minutes. 2 more hours with lots of rides with short waits.

Of course there are no waits for anything at US because IOA closed at 7 and US closed at 8.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Maybe we'll try this one day... both you and Cake have recommended it. What day is late EMH typically in December? Obviously one not conflicting with MVMCP...

they are definitely worth it. Late EMH is DH and I's favorite time in MK. we were upset that they moved late EMH from Sunday night of the Wine and Dine 1/2 weekend (as it was in 2013) to during the run on Saturday night in 2014. Because the late EMH was during the run, we were unable to go to the EMH (and that was the only late night EMH at MK during our trip). Actually, I think in 2013 they had late night EMH on both Sat and Sun that weekend, but in 2014 it was only on Saturday night. It's definitely, definitely worth doing

 

[BugsDaddy]

Well, love or hate FP, no one has apparently changed their mind.

 

[Luckybee]

I didn't know that - so that's a good point, I'd be surprised if adding those made it equal to the WDW price, though.



As I said, I was making the comparison as consistent as possible. I thought I'd be called out on being unfair if I booked one for a longer number of nights than another. I made all booking information identical to limit that. I also did not know that Universal did that, nor was it mentioned on the first reservation page I made. I just went back and modified it to 3 nights to see what it would be (it did go up to 303/night, still decently below WL and over $100/night less than AKL), and it was mentioned on the new page that came up.

We're paying $300+ a night at the poly for a garden level room for May and that is booking through Orbitz with both the 30% Disney discount, and with the 15% Orbitz discount. Keep in mind that this is while major construction is ongoing at the Poly. At Universal we're paying about the same but we're taking a Bayview deluxe room through Amex fine hotels, that includes $100 F&B credit, continental breakfast, room upgrade if avail (last time we got a suite), and guaranteed 4 pm late checkout. At Universal we get express passes for ea of our 5 days on property if we so desire. I know which one I think is the better value

 

[Angel Ariel]

We're paying $300+ a night at the poly for a garden level room for May and that is booking through Orbitz with both the 30% Disney discount, and with the 15% Orbitz discount. Keep in mind that this is while major construction is ongoing at the Poly. At Universal we're paying about the same but we're taking a Bayview deluxe room through Amex fine hotels, that includes $100 F&B credit, continental breakfast, room upgrade if avail (last time we got a suite), and guaranteed 4 pm late checkout. At Universal we get express passes for ea of our 5 days on property if we so desire. I know which one I think is the better value

As I acknowledged in my first post - I'm aware there are discounts for both WDW and Universal resorts. I was comparing rack rate to rack rate to keep the comparison as equal as possible. Never did I say that there was *never* a case where Universal resorts weren't equal to what one could get at a WDW resort - especially once discounts are considered.

The point I was making by comparing the rates was not which one was a better value, but that I don't think WDW has the room in their rack rates to increase their rack rate prices to account for including a free express pass option the way Universal does. That's all.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Certainly. It just doesn't work for anyone with school-aged kids and/or demanding works schedules. Those folks visit during traditional holiday/vacation times of the year.

And this is not an issue of FP+, but life choices. Even then, the place is plenty crowded during times where school holidays coincide with a non busy season.

So it is still a solution. It is not my job to customize a solution for you, nor is it really Disney's when trying to optimize the average guest experience.

 

[MrInfinity]

they are definitely worth it. Late EMH is DH and I's favorite time in MK. we were upset that they moved late EMH from Sunday night of the Wine and Dine 1/2 weekend (as it was in 2013) to during the run on Saturday night in 2014. Because the late EMH was during the run, we were unable to go to the EMH (and that was the only late night EMH at MK during our trip). Actually, I think in 2013 they had late night EMH on both Sat and Sun that weekend, but in 2014 it was only on Saturday night. It's definitely, definitely worth doing

I'm trying to anticipate the schedule for Dec 2015... So if the MK was open till 1am... here... http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/dec14.cfm but there is night EMH, does that mean it's really open till 3?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm trying to anticipate the schedule for Dec 2015... So if the MK was open till 1am... here... http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/dec14.cfm but there is night EMH, does that mean it's really open till 3?

Yes, if MK's regular hours are until 1am and it is an EMH night, the park is open til 3. It's really magical to be all alone in the HUB in front of the castle, or walking hand in hand down main street

 

[MrInfinity]

Yes, if MK's regular hours are until 1am and it is an EMH night, the park is open til 3. It's really magical to be all alone in the HUB in front of the castle, or walking hand in hand down main street

Wow. We'd have ourselves some zombies the next day. That would be an Epcot Sunday... we'd have to saunter in there at 11 or 12, missing our precious rope drop time. And I use the word saunter deliberately, because after all this is a thread about FP+, and one cant have a thread about FP+ w/o repeatedly emphasizing how guests who arrive at 11 or 12 saunter in.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Wow. We'd have ourselves some zombies the next day. That would be an Epcot Sunday... we'd have to saunter in there at 11 or 12, missing our precious rope drop time. And I use the word saunter deliberately, because after all this is a thread about FP+, and one cant have a thread about FP+ w/o repeatedly emphasizing how guests who arrive at 11 or 12 saunter in.

We like to saunter in no matter the time. With anti fast passers wagging their fingers at us as we pass them..oh the shame, the shame...

 

[Angel Ariel]

Wow. We'd have ourselves some zombies the next day. That would be an Epcot Sunday... we'd have to saunter in there at 11 or 12, missing our precious rope drop time. And I use the word saunter deliberately, because after all this is a thread about FP+, and one cant have a thread about FP+ w/o repeatedly emphasizing how guests who arrive at 11 or 12 saunter in.

Oh yeah, we never did RD after that late of a night. (That was also pre-DD.Now that's only possible on an adults only trip, or if we have grandparents to watch DD while we stay out )We'd be more likely to either:

1. sleep in, go to DTD for lunch and then shopping (total non-park day)
2. sleep in, eat lunch somewhere (resort, wherever), head to AK - where we never had a problem getting FPs in the afternoon, and that emptied out after 3 anyway making it easy to get rides in
3. sleep in, eat lunch somewhere, head to MK again by 11 or noon. We never had issues getting FPs at MK at this time.

Now, with FP+, Epcot/DHS are certainly opened as options, but we still probably wouldn't do Epcot the next day b/c we usually like to do full days in Epcot. We did do DHS after the Wine & Dine 1/2, where were were in Epcot until about 4am. Woke up at 10, and were in the park by around 12. FP+ is definitely what made that possible. Without FP+, we woudl have done one of the 3 options above. We definitely wouldn't have headed to DHS. 1/2 days in the parks are definitely one place where FP+ does well, IMO.

 

[Laketravis]

It's Friday night, ya'll. Plenty of other things to do if you are so inclined...

But in two weeks, I'll put it to the test.

Cake - aren't you going to be there the week of the 8th?



.

 

[cakebaker]

It's Friday night, ya'll. Plenty of other things to do if you are so inclined...

But in two weeks, I'll put it to the test.

Cake - aren't you going to be there the week of the 8th?



.

No, we'll be there starting the 13th Of June. I should be sauntering into the MK by 3 maybe 4, with my 3 FP+'s in hand- that is if I can crawl out of bed by noon.

 

[AustinTink]

it's low season for both resorts

I don't know how either resorts treat more last-minute reservations. I was trying to keep the comparison as fair as possible, so I picked a time period far away, and kept the booking dates/details identical between the reservations.

No problem. Just meant to say rates are much more comparable at the deluxes at Uni and WDW during high season.

 

[AustinTink]

It's Friday night, ya'll. Plenty of other things to do if you are so inclined...




.

Heck ya! Just got back from Baby A's. Hiccup...

 

[Silock]

Then forgive me as I did get lost and misunderstood the parameters of what you were speaking about.

NP, it happens, all too easily in these 700+ post threads!

 

[SmithSmith]

No problem. Just meant to say rates are much more comparable at the deluxes at Uni and WDW during high season.

Thanks for pointing this out, I didn't realize this. Case in point, I priced out some of what Uni and WDW still had available for tomorrow night and found:

Royal Pacific $499
Animal Kingdom Lodge $506
Wilderness Lodge $511

 

[whiporee]

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago on another thread and got yelled at,but if I ran the resorts, I'd close the parks to non-resort guests Tues-Thursday for all but the peak times. There'd still be plenty of people (since there are 90,000 in the resorts at any given time. If you trust TEA, then the MK averaged 52,000 people a day last year (and if you don't trust TEA and want to say that Disney doesn't release attendance numbers, then I don't know what to say to you). Of that 52,000, roughly 34,000 are resort guests. The average daily attendance in 2002 (just about the time FP- debuted) was 38,000, so everyone missing the old days would have a shot at them by staying on site. Then staying on site would be an appreciable benefit and Disney could charge more for their rooms. I don't think you need to tier the levels by resort category -- just scan their bands when they come, and if they're a resort guest, they get in. if not, they don't. I've run out the math -- Disney could charge $50/room on average and that would cover the cost of the 18,000 admissions they'd be missing out on for those days.

You'd still have the off-site guests and locals able to attend Friday-Monday, during the peak the times (June-July-August, late December, Presidents week, Spring Break and Easter). Lots of people would be pissed because it was elitist and unfair, but I think it's the best way to both enhance the experience for the guests who have given them the most loyalty (by staying on site). Because so many guests are from the resorts, Disney really can't offer them more fast passes or FotL, because logistically it wouldn't work -- if 2/3s of your guests have Front access, those lines on the headliners would be longer than the other standby.

The problems with everything at Disney is crowds. The only thing that improves the experience at Disney is by reducing crowds.

 

[Disneylover99]

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago on another thread and got yelled at

Yeah, I kind of see why.

 

[BugsDaddy]

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago on another thread and got yelled at,but if I ran the resorts, I'd close the parks to non-resort guests Tues-Thursday for all but the peak times. There'd still be plenty of people (since there are 90,000 in the resorts at any given time. If you trust TEA, then the MK averaged 52,000 people a day last year (and if you don't trust TEA and want to say that Disney doesn't release attendance numbers, then I don't know what to say to you). Of that 52,000, roughly 34,000 are resort guests. The average daily attendance in 2002 (just about the time FP- debuted) was 38,000, so everyone missing the old days would have a shot at them by staying on site. Then staying on site would be an appreciable benefit and Disney could charge more for their rooms. I don't think you need to tier the levels by resort category -- just scan their bands when they come, and if they're a resort guest, they get in. if not, they don't. I've run out the math -- Disney could charge $50/room on average and that would cover the cost of the 18,000 admissions they'd be missing out on for those days.

You'd still have the off-site guests and locals able to attend Friday-Monday, during the peak the times (June-July-August, late December, Presidents week, Spring Break and Easter). Lots of people would be pissed because it was elitist and unfair, but I think it's the best way to both enhance the experience for the guests who have given them the most loyalty (by staying on site). Because so many guests are from the resorts, Disney really can't offer them more fast passes or FotL, because logistically it wouldn't work -- if 2/3s of your guests have Front access, those lines on the headliners would be longer than the other standby.

The problems with everything at Disney is crowds. The only thing that improves the experience at Disney is by reducing crowds.

So, Tuesday through Thursday, you would essentially send all of your offsite guests to your competition, complete with a thank you card and a bow on top? That is basically what you would be doing with this policy. Somehow, I think that strategically strengthening your competition is not the most sound business plan.