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

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Agree 100%. It wouldn't be much of an advertising campaign in the slower months to say: "FP+?? Who needs it!!?? You'll be here when the crowds are low". Better to say: "Come join us during Extra Magic Season where you can get more FPs each day at no extra cost!"

If ride capacity permits based on attendance levels, I think this would be a great idea.

If it is slow enough for me to get a 4th fast pass at a decent hour for a mountain, it would seem that there could be enough capacity for this idea to work. And calling it Extra Magic Season suits the concept.

 

[jade1]

If ride capacity permits based on attendance levels, I think this would be a great idea.

If it is slow enough for me to get a 4th fast pass at a decent hour for a mountain, it would seem that there could be enough capacity for this idea to work. And calling it Extra Magic Season suits the concept.

And even though "B" rides probably don't need it-wouldn't be all bad to have those available as a 4th and 5th etc. Like 3 mountains and as a 4th/5th Pirates and Haunted or something along that line. Obviously 4 mountains if it can work.

Even just "No tiers" at DHS and EPCOT during that season would be nice.

I suspect the APP could do anything they want-if it says "pick 5" why would somebody not just "pick 5"? Would they really just be so baffled because they thought it was 3 that they would go jump off a bridge? They could put a disclaimer that says something like "Good News-because of extra availability, you can pick 5 for this day from MK".

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And even though "B" rides probably don't need it-wouldn't be all bad to have those available as a 4th and 5th etc. Like 3 mountains and as a 4th/5th Pirates and Haunted or something along that line. Obviously 4 mountains if it can work.

Even just "No tiers" at DHS and EPCOT during that season would be nice.

I suspect the APP could do anything they want-if it says "pick 5" why would somebody not just "pick 5"? Would they really just be so baffled because they thought it was 3 that they would go jump off a bridge? They could put a disclaimer that says something like "Good News-because of extra availability, you can pick 5 for this day from MK".

New products always require consumer education. Some might confuse pick 5 for a glitch. Who knows. There are folks who only want to pick up and not have 2 other rides at all.

In any case--probably not difficult either way.

Another pixie dust they could do would be to do what they did when they are distributing those "extra" Philharmagic Fast passes. For the most parts, they were not needed. But when someone is getting a 4th, want not ask if they would like a 5th to whatever ride isn't getting their Fastpasses selected. Again--some folks may not see the worth in that and think it is lame, but from a guest relations standpoint--it is still a nice gesture.

 

[srauseo]

I personally felt more restricted with the old system. I had a TSMM that I pulled mid to late morning that didn't have a return time until 7:00 pm or so. So, we stayed longer than intended. Another that fell right during an ADR. I like not having it be a gamble.

This. Exactly this.

Now when I get to the park, I *know* that I have my three FP reservations. With Legacy FP, it was a gamble. Now I can plan an evening in Adventureland and know that I can ride JG and POTC without a long wait and do the other rides or shop or eat in the area in between, or show up at EPCOT at 7pm and ride Test Track before a dinner ADR. For me, much more efficient. Took some unknowns out of the equation. Actually allowed the time in the park to be less stressful. Just my experience, of course.

 

[MrInfinity]

Now when I get to the park, I *know* that I have my three FP reservations. With Legacy FP, it was a gamble. Now I can plan an evening in Adventureland and know that I can ride JG and POTC without a long wait and do the other rides or shop or eat in the area in between, or show up at EPCOT at 7pm and ride Test Track before a dinner ADR. For me, much more efficient. Took some unknowns out of the equation. Actually allowed the time in the park to be less stressful. Just my experience, of course.

This is why I like FP+ so much, despite having been one of those who got the most out of FP-. I seem to get as much done as before, only it's so much less stressful.

Now I just move my strategizing of how to get the most out of my days, to 2 months ahead of time. I can organize it way better than ever possible before. I'm still beating the crowds, I'm just doing it in advance, so that when I'm in the park I can spend time w my family.

 

[cakebaker]

This is why I like FP+ so much, despite having been one of those who got the most out of FP-. I seem to get as much done as before, only it's so much less stressful.

Now I just move my strategizing of how to get the most out of my days, to 2 months ahead of time. I can organize it way better than ever possible before. I'm still beating the crowds, I'm just doing it in advance, so that when I'm in the park I can spend time w my family.

I agree. I much prefer to get the details ironed out at home rather than on the fly in the park. Park time costs and I don't want to waste it taking votes on what to do next. This way, we all agree ahead of time, everyone gets their must do's in and it's much more relaxing and stress free in the parks.

 

[JimmyV]

I much prefer to get the details ironed out at home rather than on the fly in the park.

This is the true benefit of FP+. No doubt about that. It is the single heaviest weight that one can put on the scale when weighing the pros and cons.

 

[Planogirl]

You don't need to wonder about anything. The context of the conversation I was having had to do with split stays and how some posters frequently portray a visit to MK (or EP, HS, AK) and USO on the same day as a huge hassle because of traffic and transit time between the two park systems, thus why I commented I'm glad they are improving/expanding I-4.



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This is exactly how I read your comment. Others seemed to turn it into some kind of agenda against WDW or something but I suspected that that was not what you meant.

The fact is that there is a lot of traffic between the two. Some is routine area traffic, some is clueless tourists wandering around and some is actually people traveling between the two. Those of us who often do travel between the two should be glad to see the improvements regardless of reasons.

 

[Planogirl]

Hi Plano,
Parasites are not bad. Or odd. They generally feed off their host w/o harming their host. A predator would have other intentions. It just means that the general Orlando attractions and tourist industry exist because Disney World draws the tourists. If it's hard to think of Universal that way, then maybe think of... The Holiday Inn across the street. Or SeaWorld. Or Wet'n'Wild. Or Legoland. All these smaller places feed off of Disney bringing customers. None of them would exist (Universal included) if Disney had not transformed central Florida into a tourist destination where 50 million people visit yearly. I've been to SeaWorld. And W&W. And Legoland. All on Disney trips. I would not make a trek to Orlando to go to an aquarium, I have one in my home town. But I would go to it if I was otherwise going to WDW and looking for a little something else to do on an extra day.

The Orlando area really only has about 2 million residents. That's not enough of a population base to sustain 5 theme parks (Uni, Ioa, Sea, Busch, Lego) on their own. Much larger cities (Saint Louis, Dallas, Chicago, etc) can only support a single Six Flags off their local population base. These parasite parks rely on Disney World bringing tourists to the area for their livelihood. Around 25-times the Central Florida population comes to the region yearly, because of WDW. That's such a vast disproportion of visitors to locals.

Universal does a good job of differentiating themselves, and I have to hand it to them, for the first time a local park has come up w a strong draw of its own, in the HP theme. But prior to that, Universal was just a coaster park and was in a really dark age of 5 million guests per year. They've finally built some resorts... To become a destination of their own, they would have to attack the family market of parents with children ages 3-9. This is the core tourist market that chooses where to stay on vacation. And Disney owns that.

Universal does not need to attack this, or be a destination of their own. They can focus on attractions for a little different market. Go after those 10-15 crowds. Let Disney bring the families, and then entice them to come to Uni for a couple days for something different. That is a parasite park, and it is a very good model.

I never saw Universal as a coaster park either. If you count them, they really don't have very many. I always saw Universal as a major destination all on its own that did have some growing pains but seems to be moving well beyond that. Now I see WDW and Universal as two big players with SeaWorld limping behind and then a slew of smaller attractions, many fabulous and many just hanging on.

I don't agree that Universal has to go after families with small children. There is a big market out there with teens and young adults and even older adults that have no small children. Families with young children is just one slice of the pie.

By the way, did you count the Tampa/St Pete area population in your total since you included Busch Gardens? I really like that park but it's a good drive and I see it as more regional than the others.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

This is exactly how I read your comment. Others seemed to turn it into some kind of agenda against WDW or something but I suspected that that was not what you meant.

The fact is that there is a lot of traffic between the two. Some is routine area traffic, some is clueless tourists wandering around and some is actually people traveling between the two. Those of us who often do travel between the two should be glad to see the improvements regardless of reasons.

Not to be a thorn in your side, but it seems the I-4 expansion project that LT referred to isn't even occurring in the section he and you are discussing. So unless you plan on heading to downtown as part of your site seeing, the greater impact will not necessarily be something guests between the two parks would enjoy.

That's all. No sinister agenda insinuated but a correction of information.

Project information: Kirkman (just easy of the Universal studios property) heading east to 434 over in Altamonte Springs. http://i4ultimate.com/project-info/overview/

 

[Laketravis]

Not to be a thorn in your side, but it seems the I-4 expansion project that LT referred to isn't even occurring in the section he and you are discussing. So unless you plan on heading to downtown as part of your site seeing, the greater impact will not necessarily be something guests between the two parks would enjoy.

That's all. No sinister agenda insinuated but a correction of information.

I understand you live in the area (?) so your information is probably the most accurate but I also understood that the project addresses a section of bottleneck that causes congestion in the area southwest of the project area - namely between the two park systems - and that eliminating those bottlenecks would assist traffic to move more freely on either side of the project area.


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[Lisa loves Pooh]

I never saw Universal as a coaster park either. If you count them, they really don't have very many. I always saw Universal as a major destination all on its own that did have some growing pains but seems to be moving well beyond that. Now I see WDW and Universal as two big players with SeaWorld limping behind and then a slew of smaller attractions, many fabulous and many just hanging on.

I don't agree that Universal has to go after families with small children. There is a big market out there with teens and young adults and even older adults that have no small children. Families with young children is just one slice of the pie.

By the way, did you count the Tampa/St Pete area population in your total since you included Busch Gardens? I really like that park but it's a good drive and I see it as more regional than the others.

True, they are but one slice. An oft ignored fact when discussing what is good and not good between USO and WDW.

 

[Planogirl]

Not to be a thorn in your side, but it seems the I-4 expansion project that LT referred to isn't even occurring in the section he and you are discussing. So unless you plan on heading to downtown as part of your site seeing, the greater impact will not necessarily be something guests between the two parks would enjoy.

That's all. No sinister agenda insinuated but a correction of information.

Project information: Kirkman (just easy of the Universal studios property) heading east to 434 over in Altamonte Springs. http://i4ultimate.com/project-info/overview/

Thanks for the link. We actually will be heading towards downtown during our trip so the construction map (when they add it) might be real useful.

 

[Laketravis]

BUT-as for the road-even one day on occasion can only help traffic, but I have never taken more than 30 minute to get back either BLT or the BC, so if we leave at 3PM and are at the resort at 3:30-of course there is a whole night of fun left-and a great day it is. I suspect you will enjoy the mix of that day.

Jade, did you mean it never took you more than 30 minutes to get from USO to BLT or BC?



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[AustinTink]

much[/I] inequality is OK. Not if inequality is OK. To make things completely equal, Disney would have to cut off its attendance each day at the point where everyone could get an A&E FP. Short of that, we've crossed the Rubicon and we must accept that fact that early booking guests are going to get things that late booking guests cannot. We've established that inequality exists. We are now just trying to sort out where it should end. Sort of like the old joke whose punchline is: "We have already established what you are, madam. Now we are merely negotiating the price." For whatever reason, there are those who believe that it is OK for Disney to run out of FPs for A&E, fireworks, parades, 7DMT and a few others in advance, but it would be unthinkable for Disney to run out of FPs for Soarin' and Test Track in advance. (And in actuality, those rides are running out in advance. So the real concern is that they should not run out because the same people are getting FPs for both, as if that is some sort of crime.) Looked at another way, if you are a guest who is trying to book FPs under the current system 10 days before your visit and cannot get either Test Track of Soarin', does it matter to you whether the FPs were taken by two different sets of people, or if they were taken by one set of people who booked both? To you, that difference is irrelevant. You can pound the table and complain that 5,000 people wiped out all the FPs for Soarin' and Test Track, or you can pound the table and complain that 10,000 people wiped out all the FPs for Soarin' and Test Track. The result is the same as far as you are concerned. Tiering does not exist in order to make everyone happy. It exists to make fewer people unhappy. And there are few rules when it comes to the latter. It is not irrational to want tiering to disappear, even if one knows the end result.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I agree. I much prefer to get the details ironed out at home rather than on the fly in the park. Park time costs and I don't want to waste it taking votes on what to do next. This way, we all agree ahead of time, everyone gets their must do's in and it's much more relaxing and stress free in the parks.

Where it works better for you to iron them out at home, we prefer to be more on the fly in the park. Yes, we do decide what parks to visit on what days (in order to schedule dining), and we do talk about what each of our "must do" attractions are - but we have never been ones to plan what order we're going to do lands or rides in. Not until we were in the park, seeing the crowd conditions, the weather, seeing how each of us were feeling on any given day, etc.

There are so many variables in our park days - especially when we travel with our extended family - that it was less stressful *for us* to make decisions as we went than to try to make them 2 months prior and having to predict what those variables may be. We didn't "waste time taking votes on what to do next" - we decided while standing in line for something (whether it was a FP line or a SB line) where we'd head next. Or we'd make a loose plan for the afternoon while we were having lunch (like from here we'll hit up fantasyland, then frontierland) point being we were already waiting somewhere, so we used that time to figure out our next step. That was, for us, more relaxing than trying to plan around potential variables 2 months in advance.

I'm not saying you're wrong, and I'm right - just that it's two very different touring styles - and both of the are absolutely fine. But with such different views on what stresses one out and what relaxes another, there's not likely going to ever be a consensus.

*And yes, I'm aware that scheduling 2 months in advance is not a requirement. We've adapted what we plan because of FP+. It may not be our preferred method of touring, but given the lack of availability/flexibility we experienced with FP+ in the parks, we have decided that waiting until we are in FL is not an option for us. And if we're going to pre-plan anyway, there's really no difference to planning 3 days in advance or 60...except a better availability of times at 60. (Esp. since A&E will be a must do). And so we adapt.

 

[sparklysparky]

We just returned from our first trip on the new FP+ system and we really loved it. The lines were minimal and the FP process in the park itself was top notch.

However, I didn't like that after my 4th FP, we were done. That pretty much sucked.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I understand you live in the area (?) so your information is probably the most accurate but I also understood that the project addresses a section of bottleneck that causes congestion in the area southwest of the project area - namely between the two park systems - and that eliminating those bottlenecks would assist traffic to move more freely on either side of the project area.


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Pretty sure it deals with rush hour traffic from points east and northeast given where they are doing the construction.

I Found this article:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-orlando-transportation-forecast-2015-0118-story.html


It would require further digging. Regardless, greatest impact would be to those seeking to enter town or leave town via that portion.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks for the link. We actually will be heading towards downtown during our trip so the construction map (when they add it) might be real useful.

The good news is that it appears they are claiming to keep lanes open in the day. So hopefully traffic will be "normal" compared to if they were to shut down lanes.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm not saying you're wrong, and I'm right - just that it's two very different touring styles - and both of the are absolutely fine. But with such different views on what stresses one out and what relaxes another, there's not likely going to ever be a consensus....

Absolutely. It's appealing to some and not appealing to others. As I was reading your post I couldn't help but compare reserving FP's to making an ADR - and the thought occurred to me that FP actually goes a step beyond an ADR because not only are you choosing where (the park) you are choosing what (the attraction). I wonder how divisive the opinions would be if you also had to choose your appetizer, entree, and desert (wow, that's 3) when you made your ADR.


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