Misled by fastpass plussers

[Rodds76]

what a crock people who defend fast plus+. I had numerous fears about fp+ but was hopeful because of all the people who said "oh it's great". It's great if u want to sweat in long lines at rides like haunted mansion that should never need a fastpass. 60 minute wait right now at 3:30. Ariel ride at noon-I couldn't believe how many people were doing fp+ for it. It's fast loading, why on earth would you fp it???? People actually fp small world. It's madness. all the stories of how great it is are "misleading" at best.at worst well.........

 

[Disnsyncey]

to each his own....I make it work for me and have a great time....not like I can change it....

 

[ShinyRedGloss]

Always check the stand-by times. If they are shorter than the Fast Pass+ line, then get in the stand-by. Make it work for you.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I don't think it's fair to call the stories of how great FP+ is "misleading." There are plenty of people, including myself, who HAVE had great experiences with it - and plenty of people with bad experiences with it too. Before I experienced it first-hand, I didn't give either version more or less weight so I never felt "mislead." As PPs have said you just have to make it work for you. What one person finds worthy of a FPs, others won't - and that's okay, we all like different things. For my party, it HAS been great so I'm not going to make up reasons why it was bad so that someone else doesn't feel duped or mislead. That is just like I wouldn't expect people who had bad experiences to lie and say it was great.

If you think stand-by is insane for HM, then try to FP it. Some things need a FP and maybe now HM is up to that level. Almost no ride will forever be a walk-on so I find it a bit silly to be frustrated when certain things have lines at certain times of the year. To call it misleading though...well, if you feel mislead, that is due to the fact that you hyped up crazy expectations for it (or a restaurant, what have you) instead of going with an open mind and judging for yourself. Of course things *may* be disappointing if you majorly hype things up first.

 

[slickpoetry]

You're complaining about the standby line wait times, right? I just want this to be clear.

 

[Robo]

You're complaining about the standby line wait times, right? I just want this to be clear.

There is much to indicate that the over-long standby lines on traditionally short-wait attractions can be linked to the addition of FP+ to those attractions, most of which did not have nor need FP in the past.

 

[slickpoetry]

There is much to indicate that the over-long standby lines on traditionally short-wait attractions can be linked to the addition of FP+ to those attractions, most of which did not have nor need FP in the past.

Yes, I understand that. I'm just making sure he didn't actually experience FP lines that were 30+ minutes.

 

[JoeA]

Yeah, you're right. We all like to post about how great FP+ is to mislead fellow Dis'ers.

We're busted!

Or maybe, just maybe...we have a different experience and/or perspective?

 

[slickpoetry]

I view FP basically as a redistribution of wait time. Since you don't have to wait in a super long line for a headliner (if you've got the FP for it), then you have free time to wait in line for 2-3 lesser rides. The result is that those "lesser" rides are going to have longer wait times because people have more free time to wait in those lines.

All of this might seem self-defeating, and to an extent I agree with that. I know that if you're planning a day trip or even a short 2-3 day trip in high-crowd periods, it can seem like the deck is stacked against you. I think the impetus behind FP+ is to get guests to stay longer (preferably in a Disney resort) and thus spend more money. It now seems to me that if you have any hope of doing "everything" Disney has to offer, you have to have 6 or 7 park days. Does this bother me? To an extent. But this is a progression WDW has been moving towards for forever--way before FP was invented. It could be argued that as soon as the second park was opened--Epcot in 1982--that it was clear WDW wanted to be a multi-day or even multi-week destination. That trend continued through the opening of DHS and AK, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, the mini-golf course, the regular golf course, downtown disney, etc etc etc.

People don't like this because--unlike opening a new park--there is a perceived "lack of value" in the FP+ program. That's going to be eternally up for debate. Myself, I like skipping the lines 3-7 times per day. I only do standby for rides before noon or after 7 PM. Otherwise I'm going to use FP or come back another day. This is fine for me because I have to fly from Chicago and thus making a WDW 7-8 day trip makes sense once you calculate in the airfare. But if I was just a daytripper, I'd be ticked off at the new system too.

 

[Etherflyer]

While I have yet to wait 30 minutes stand bye on our last trip we waited 20 minutes in fp for star tours. They are giving out too many fp+ I would be better to give out less and schedule less and then everyone can ride more rides.

 

[Robo]

While I have yet to wait 30 minutes stand bye on our last trip we waited 20 minutes in fp for star tours. They are giving out too many fp+ I would be better to give out less and schedule less and then everyone can ride more rides.

Sorry, but offering less FP+ (or more FP+) will not allow everyone to ride more rides.

X number of seats on rides per day.
Y number of guests who want to ride per day.

 

[ktlm]

I totally understand the way you are feeling. For years, at the times of year we go, we walked on Pirates, Small World, Nemo, Figment and Haunted Mansion. If there was a wait it was never more than 5 or 10 minutes. We have made 2 FP+ trips. The parks did not feel any busier in general than the previous times we had been there- BUT instead of walking on these 5 rides pretty much any time of day like we were used to doing- now for a good part of the day each had 30 minute lines. Pirates was up to 45 minutes a lot, which I had not seen on our trips for at least 10 years before FP+. We have been to DLR since FP+ and have just felt more relaxed and relieved on those trips as we had flexibility again. I am absolutely cringing for the day that FP+ probably gets installed out west too.

 

[tgbanks3]

I'm guilty. I'm using my FP+ on rides such as Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear, etc. But this is because I have 2 older kids (12, 10), and 2 younger ones (4, 2). Me and the older kids will stand in line for the big rides (Space Mountain, etc.) while the young ones are resting. But the young ones won't do so well waiting in line so I made sure we were able to go right in for the rides they will enjoy. I understand your point, but that's just way it's set up so I had to take advantage.

 

[tlmadden73]

So you'd rather have a system where you can't skip ANY lines?

Just use your 4th fast pass to skip that long mid-afternoon line at Haunted Mansion.

FP+ works great for families with small children .. skipping lines even on traditionally quick lines . .is still saving time.

I think the parks are just more crowded. Plus people saving time even on "short" wait rides mean they have time to stand in line for other rides ... I had a FP for Star Tours a few weeks ago at 11:30 - 12:30 and the fast pass was a waste .. standby was only 10 minutes long. So FP didn't make that line any longer than "normal".

 

[PsychoCelloChica]

Either it works for you or it doesn't... There's not much middle ground, but one mans trash is another mans treasure. Legacy fast pass was terrible for us. We were lucky to use 2 per day. And we skipped some rides entirely because standby was over an hour and FP was done for the day or the next available time was 8+ hours later. Running back and forth across the park in a crazed chase for FP was NOT an option for us.

Last trip we did just about everything we wanted to with no wait longer than 25 minutes. We used our 3 FP+ each day and most days for a 4th or even a 5th.

 

[Etherflyer]

Sorry, but offering less FP+ (or more FP+) will not allow everyone to ride more rides.

X number of seats on rides per day.
Y number of guests who want to ride per day.

There are only x

there are guests who only ride some rides because they have the fast pass and would not get one were it not for the way the system works. If it worked like the old one and gave out 1 until you used it people would not book the lesser attractions. Those would remain their old wait times. I know people who used to do more non ride things because they didn't want to wait stand bye but now ride because they don't have to wait. So Y becomes Y + new rides (who were happy) but now feel like they should ride because they have a fp.

 

[kwdw]

While I agree that I am frustrated that there are now clearly longer stand-by lines for rides that used to have 5-20 minute waits - I do use FP+ to my advantage.

And this next trip - I'm using it on some unusual things that used to have short lines - because I have some tight touring plans due to it being a short trip. But I want to ensure that my wait is super short on a couple rides that are now unpredictable - like POTC mid-afternoon.

I did prefer the old FP system - it's too much planning for me so I struggle with it and doesn't work well with my boyfriend when he goes, too. He now gets the need to use it - but it's NOT his natural tendency to plan a day 60 days in advance - even the night before is a struggle with him.

 

[slickpoetry]

There are only x

there are guests who only ride some rides because they have the fast pass and would not get one were it not for the way the system works. If it worked like the old one and gave out 1 until you used it people would not book the lesser attractions. Those would remain their old wait times. I know people who used to do more non ride things because they didn't want to wait stand bye but now ride because they don't have to wait. So Y becomes Y + new rides (who were happy) but now feel like they should ride because they have a fp.

So your theory is that people are getting FP for rides they don't want to ride?

 

[10-4 Good Buddy]

There are only x

there are guests who only ride some rides because they have the fast pass and would not get one were it not for the way the system works. If it worked like the old one and gave out 1 until you used it people would not book the lesser attractions. Those would remain their old wait times. I know people who used to do more non ride things because they didn't want to wait stand bye but now ride because they don't have to wait. So Y becomes Y + new rides (who were happy) but now feel like they should ride because they have a fp.

I see what you mean. Everybody HAS to pick three DIFFERENT attractions whether they want to or not.

Like before I might have ridden Tower of Terror three times with a fast pass and probably wouldn't have done The Great Movie Ride. But now after I pick my Tower of Terror fast pass I can't pick it again two more times so I end up picking two other things that I might not have done anyway.

 

[slickpoetry]

I see what you mean. Everybody HAS to pick three DIFFERENT attractions whether they want to or not.

that's not true at all.