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

[Jennytoon]

As a response to the OP's question ... I have not yet been to the parks using FP+, and I have already changed my mind from trepidation to feeling positive about it.

We go every other year. The last time we went was during the test period for FP+, and I'm appreciative that many of the early issues were worked out during our off year. I'm also appreciative that this gave me a long window to get past my initial reaction (which was very much of the 'we had a method that was working for us using FP- and we so enjoyed the spontaneity of not deciding what park to visit until the night before, oh no, the sky is falling we're going to be so overplanned' variety) and take a more realistic look.

Many of the features that work to our benefit have been covered here in detail, so I won't reiterate. I've seen a fair number of comments though from people who feel that the additional requirement to plan in advance is a negative. **Disclaimer*** Without denigrating, denying, or in other ways dismissing their individual experiences ***End Disclaimer*** I have found that this is a positive for me even though I had originally viewed it as a negative. There are studies (references at the end) that show that vacation anticipation is a significant portion of the total happiness package from a vacation, and that less stressful vacations are happier vacations. The latter study specifically addressed reduction of vacation stress through planning and organization, so obviously the mileage of people who find planning past a certain level to be a source of stress in and of itself will vary.

For me personally, I find that the additional time spent on planning is a significant bonus to my vacation anticipation. I am spending more time planning on this trip because it is required. I am also spending more time planning on this trip because FP+ makes a lot more options available to us that we never had before given the constraints of kids / timing of visit / personal tolerances. This is an important statement, because it's not that I didn't do any planning before, but the amount I was able to do in advance was definitely more limited. Since I now have the opportunity to do more planning, I'm spending more time thinking about my vacation in advance. It makes me happy to think about it. Also, because there are more options available for us, I involve the rest of the family by asking questions about their preferences. After we booked our dates, we had a month of Disney-poll-of-the-day. My whole family is thinking about our vacation and enjoying anticipating it more, even though they are not doing any of the nuts and bolts planning themselves!

Will it work out according to plan? Only time will tell, and since we are not of the cloth that will feel our vacation is ruined if things don't go according to plan and we have to adjust, I suspect we will have a great time no matter what.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/how-vacations-affect-your-happiness/
https://hbr.org/2014/02/when-a-vacation-reduces-stress-and-when-it-doesnt/

 

[Hokie2000]

While I agree completely, it is somewhat telling that prior to the implementation of FP+, there were few to any threads here complaining that FP- was awful, didn't work, was failing and needed to be changed. For all the guff that people are heaping on FP-, I don't recall any complaints about how it worked except for those who believed then, (aand still do now) that FP simply shouldn't exist in any form.

I think you are equating looking back and seeing what didn't work to complaining. I've used this example before - my iPhone 6 has some better features than my iPhone 5. It doesn't mean that I hated my iPhone 5, I just like my iPhone 6 better. And if I point out how my 6 is better, I'm not necessarily complaining about my 5.

My experience with FP-/+ is similar. I liked FP- while it was in effect, but now I like FP+ better. The changes (that I don't think many people anticipated ahead of Disney's announcement, I certainly didn't), have made me aware of some limitations of FP- for me. While I was experiencing those limitations, I mainly just accepted it as the status quo, I considered FP- a perk that I took advantage of when I could. No real reason to complain.

 

[Hokie2000]

It's the dismissal of people's issues with FP+ that find demeaning and offensive.
Let's put it this way: if you had a bad experience at the parks and you shared it on the boards, how would you feel if someone posted in response: If you don't like, it don't go back! Would you find that helpful?

I'm sorry that you feel that people are dismissive, it happens but I think the majority of people are trying to be helpful.

FP+ is here to stay for the foreseeable future. I realize that FP- was great while it lasted, but the change has been made and there's not a lot any of us can do about it besides take our money elsewhere. I feel fortunate that the changes have been an enhancement for me so I've not had to "work around it" or go somewhere else. I sympathize with those who feel differently.

 

[JimmyV]

I would really like to know if this is a normal occurrence or somehow an aberration

Doesn't really matter to me. It was my experience and I didn't get any sort of refund because of it. When we entered the line it said 15 minutes. Without any operational breakdown, we barely moved for the first 15 minutes as FP people whizzed by. After the 25 minutes one of 5 the people in the group in front of us stepped out of line to go back to see what the posted wait was and it had jumped to 80 minutes. But we were stuck. Keep waiting or try later. But would the wait ever creep down below the 45 minutes we figured we had left? Bottom line is that the "one-two" punch at RD is harder now with FP people passing you. It didn't used to be this way. This is the new normal. Maybe not the wait we had. But no more 10 minutes either.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

How was I insulting you?

RE read my post. It was not a general statement as part of the overall discussion.

 

[flicx]

There is no misunderstanding. Disney just made it mandatory to plan 60 days ahead to get first pick. Instead of making it a first come first serve at the park the day of. Whether that is fair or not depends on which side of the issue you like.

 

[Planogirl]

So everyone has been called names and everyone is offended. Is that the gist of it? Regardless, I don't like the "love it or leave it" mentality. It's just a themepark but that type of attitude serves no purpose in other areas so why is it so great in the world of themeparks?

Besides when someone tells me, no matter how politely, to basically shut up then I tend to howl louder. One of my worst traits.

 

[MrInfinity]

Doesn't really matter to me. It was my experience and I didn't get any sort of refund because of it. When we entered the line it said 15 minutes. Without any operational breakdown, we barely moved for the first 15 minutes as FP people whizzed by. After the 25 minutes one of 5 the people in the group in front of us stepped out of line to go back to see what the posted wait was and it had jumped to 80 minutes. But we were stuck. Keep waiting or try later. But would the wait ever creep down below the 45 minutes we figured we had left? Bottom line is that the "one-two" punch at RD is harder now with FP people passing you. It didn't used to be this way. This is the new normal. Maybe not the wait we had. But no more 10 minutes either.

Jimmy, think about this. You want a 1-2 punch at RD. You want to do Soarin then TT. You agree you can do any one ride right at RD w no wait. But, both by standby doesn't work because some are using their FP+, and apparently hundreds of guests pass you causing you to wait over an hour at rope drop. So... just copy them. Do this. And then you will be one of those going by fast while everyone else waits. "But I don't want to that's not optimal". So other guests feel it's worth fast passing, and you don't. Yet they do, and you have to wait for them, but you won't do it. You'll still complain about them passing you. You can't both not use your Fast Pass and complain that others are using theirs. Point is, you can, extremely easily, and with certainty, ride both Soarin and TT, with little to no waits. You're just choosing not to. You'd rather wait standby for TT, knowing that, to you, a 15-min posted time might mean 75 min. (tho I've not seen this -- I didn't wait 75 for anything at all in an entire busy week, certainly not at 9:30am).

Would you prefer the first hour not be fast passable? If so then does that mean you think guests who go early should get to ride the rides, even if it means other guests will not be able to get a fast pass then? Would you like this if you were one of those to find nothing avail to TT at your booking window, or would you then complain about not getting a FP and how you now have to go at rope drop? I just don't get what an ideal solution for you is. Other than... as long as you can ride whatever you want with no waiting, you're good. I even have a strategy for that. it's: buy Disney World.

 

[Planogirl]

Jimmy, think about this. You want a 1-2 punch at RD. You want to do Soarin then TT. You agree you can do any one ride right at RD w no wait. But, both by standby doesn't work because some are using their FP+, and apparently hundreds of guests pass you causing you to wait over an hour at rope drop. So... just copy them. Do this. And then you will be one of those going by fast while everyone else waits. "But I don't want to that's not optimal". So other guests feel it's worth fast passing, and you don't. Yet they do, and you have to wait for them, but you won't do it. You'll still complain about them passing you. You can't both not use your Fast Pass and complain that others are using theirs. Point is, you can, extremely easily, and with certainty, ride both Soarin and TT, with little to no waits. You're just choosing not to. You'd rather wait standby for TT, knowing that, to you, a 15-min posted time might mean 75 min. (tho I've not seen this -- I didn't wait 75 for anything at all in an entire busy week, certainly not at 9:30am).

Would you prefer the first hour not be fast passable? If so then does that mean you think guests who go early should get to ride the rides, even if it means other guests will not be able to get a fast pass then? Would you like this if you were one of those to find nothing avail to TT at your booking window, or would you then complain about not getting a FP and how you now have to go at rope drop? I just don't get what an ideal solution for you is. Other than... as long as you can ride whatever you want with no waiting, you're good. I even have a strategy for that. it's: buy Disney World.

How does this work with tiering? You certainly can't get FP+ for both of them at least not initially.

Personally, I would love for the first hour to be FP+ free. Rope drop could still be a decent reward for those willing to go through the trouble without impacting others much.

 

[lauradis]

How does this work with tiering? You certainly can't get FP+ for both of them at least not initially.

Personally, I would love for the first hour to be FP+ free. Rope drop could still be a decent reward for those willing to go through the trouble without impacting others much.

That's an awesome idea.

What would be the benefit to schedule FP+ during rd anyways. Must be a newbie thing. or cant get other times.

 

[flicx]

If Disney wants to squeeze every dime out of people they can, they satisfying as many people as possible and making their experience as positive as possible is how they do it. You don't make money making people miserable. In order to make money, you have to make as many people satisfied as possible. In the process, you're to going to lose some. It might be all about making more money ( and I find nothing wrong with that), but in order to make more, you have to keep your guests happy- but that doesn't mean you have to keep the whole world happy.

You try and make it sound awful that a company wants to make as much profit as they possibly can, when in fact that's what they're supposed to do.

When the sole focus becomes nothing but money/greed there is a definite problem with it. This whole new system has cutback quite a few guests abilities to do what they used to and caused much more work to achieve what could have been done much easier before. Oh yes by the way now it will cost yet more, as tickets just went up again. You think the new system is great. I think it sucks and will ultimately send many long time customers to the sidelines. I personally think it was a big mistake and money would have been far better spent on attractions.

 

[Planogirl]

When the sole focus becomes nothing but money/greed there is a definite problem with it. This whole new system has cutback quite a few guests abilities to do what they used to and caused much more work to achieve what could have been done much easier before. Oh yes by the way now it will cost yet more, as tickets just went up again. You think the new system is great. I think it sucks and will ultimately send many long time customers to the sidelines. I personally think it was a big mistake and money would have been far better spent on attractions.

And before someone says that Disney is enjoying record breaking crowds, really only time will tell if that means anything. People who are unhappy and leave may very well be replaced by others who either don't know differently or just don't care.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

When the sole focus becomes nothing but money/greed there is a definite problem with it. This whole new system has cutback quite a few guests abilities to do what they used to and caused much more work to achieve what could have been done much easier before. Oh yes by the way now it will cost yet more, as tickets just went up again. You think the new system is great. I think it sucks and will ultimately send many long time customers to the sidelines. I personally think it was a big mistake and money would have been far better spent on attractions.

Tickets also when up at Universal.

But--to counter, not to your specific experience but in general, it has increased what others can do. And I just don't think your hypothesis will manifest.

 

[MrInfinity]

That's an awesome idea. What would be the benefit to schedule FP+ during rd anyways. Must be a newbie thing. or cant get other times.

It's a supply thing. To take out that 1st hour, takes out 10% or so of the Fast Passes. As to what benefit to schedule so early, I think to Jimmy it would be a benefit. He saw 75-min waits to TT at 9:30!

 

[lauradis]

It's a supply thing. To take out that 1st hour, takes out 10% or so of the Fast Passes. As to what benefit to schedule so early, I think to Jimmy it would be a benefit. He saw 75-min waits to TT at 9:30!

But for jimmy that wasnt normal before fp+.

Seems like FP+ might be driving more people to the RD and directly to rides.

Most of the new or non planners I have seen in the past just wander around if they show up for RD.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

How does this work with tiering? You certainly can't get FP+ for both of them at least not initially.

Personally, I would love for the first hour to be FP+ free. Rope drop could still be a decent reward for those willing to go through the trouble without impacting others much.

I did respond to Jimmy earlier how we handled a non rope drop arrival. It did not involve "no wait", but it did involve a wait that was fine for us and did not diminish our enjoyment. (ETA: less than half his 100 minute TT scenario presented in his original post on his EPCOT visit and old and new system differences.)

As far as your suggestion--I think that is a great idea.

 

[flicx]

Tickets also when up at Universal.

But--to counter, not to your specific experience but in general, it has increased what others can do. And I just don't think your hypothesis will manifest.

Universal has nothing to do with this conversation in my opinion. If you would like to bring it in no problem. We can compare Disney to a park that is growing attendance at a much faster rate and has shown what building new attractions at regular intervals can accomplish!

 

[Laketravis]

And before someone says that Disney is enjoying record breaking crowds, really only time will tell if that means anything. People who are unhappy and leave may very well be replaced by others who either don't know differently or just don't care.

Very true. Yet I don't think there is an unlimited supply of new less-educated or pollyannaish guests to support that attendance growth for years to come. And with increased costs come increased expectations. The effects don't manifest themselves all at once, but more like a ball of twine that slowly unravels over time.

Yes, Disney is a business. So I can't help but think what the hot topics on these boards would be right now if that business hadn't decided to spend upwards of $2B on MM+/FP+ and another $5B on a park on the other side of the world but instead put some of that love back into Epcot, Hollywood Studios, even more new attractions at MK, and double or triple the Avatar effort at AK.

But they didn't. Because they are a business and they've decided to use our dollars to get even more dollars from other guests halfway around the globe.

.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Universal has nothing to do with this conversation in my opinion. If you would like to bring it in no problem. We can compare Disney to a park that is growing attendance at a much faster rate and has shown what building new attractions at regular intervals can accomplish!

Just pointing out a fact. No need to get upset or ignore what Disney is doing.

And when your attendance was meh and you land HP--I would expect a significant increase in attendance. Prior to that addition, their growth was nowhere near their recent spike.

 

[Laketravis]

And when your attendance was meh and you land HP--I would expect a significant increase in attendance. Prior to that addition, their growth was nowhere near their recent spike.

Which could mean they absolutely did the right thing.