MK feels different.

[mom2mickeyfan]

Of course it isn't. But I do think both sides of this argument need to show more respect to an opposing viewpoint. Some people simply don't value the sweat that went into maxing out the rides under the old system and found that approach to be a drain on the overall experience.

I get the idea of wanting to max out the cost of the ticket, but personally I take a more middle of the road approach and I'm not going to be all that upset if I end up getting in one less ride because of the new system. Mostly because I know from experience that I've never had any trouble whatsoever finding something fun and entertaining to do in a Disney park.

But how did the old system keep you from enjoying the park at a slower pace as you have said you are fine with? You have every right to enjoy the park that way but the old system didn't keep you from it. Our family does not enjoy just hanging out in the park. We enjoy riding to the max. We were willing to do what it took to get that experience out of our day and never complained.

The new system is going to keep us from enjoying the park the way we wish. The old system did not keep you from enjoying it the way you wished.

 

[EMode]

The last thing I want is for everybody to agree with me ... not even trying to win an argument. Just trying to present the opposing view in a way people can accept and respect.

I don't think you want people to agree with you, you said you didn't get how FP+ will make someone's vacation worse. I'm just trying to help you understand how it will

 

[smitch425]

Quantity of rides ridden does not preclude spending quality time with your family. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Never said they were.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think you want people to agree with you, you said you didn't get how FP+ will make someone's vacation worse. I'm just trying to help you understand how it will

Question: Is it FP+ making vacations worse, or would they still be worse as Disney went to enforcing FP time windows on the first gen FP?

 

[magicbob]

Quantity of rides ridden does not preclude spending quality time with your family. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Never said they were.

WDW vacations, for us, are about quality time, not quantity of rides, but to each their own.

The above statement reads as if, for someone who chooses quantity of rides, their vacation is not about quality time.

 

[mom2rtk]

Question: Is it FP+ making vacations worse, or would they still be worse as Disney went to enforcing FP time windows on the first gen FP?

I actually believe FP time enforcement was the first step in the implementation of FP+.

I did one trip with time enforcement and it wasn't as laid back and enjoyable. But I will take that over the FP+ with the limits on ride repeats. I know more than 3 is coming, but can't say yet if that will be a marked improvement until I start hearing what sort of spots are left. Regardless, if they don't allow ride repeats, it's going to be markedly less appealing to us than legacy FP even after time enforcement.

 

[magicbob]

Question: Is it FP+ making vacations worse, or would they still be worse as Disney went to enforcing FP time windows on the first gen FP?

FP+ is much more limiting than legacy FP was even after return window enforcement. I would also surmise that, if it had not been for FP+ on the horizon, Disney would have never gone to enforcing return times because there was no need to do so other than preparing the way for FP+ implementation.

 

[smitch425]

The above statement reads as if, for someone who chooses quantity of rides, their vacation is not about quality time.

Not my intention at all. I just meant that quantity of rides does not even factor into our minds. It does for others, which is why I said "to each their own". "Quality time" is all we care about, and it is not ride dependent.

 

[EMode]

Question: Is it FP+ making vacations worse, or would they still be worse as Disney went to enforcing FP time windows on the first gen FP?

I can only speak for my vacations and yes it is FP+. The limited amount, although its good to hear that they plan on allowing more to be given.
We always used our FPs within the window, I didn't even know you could come back way later until the news came out that they started enforcing times a couple years ago.
Its the pre-planning rides 2 months in advance. That is crazy to me, we don't even know what park we'll be in on what days until we get there. Its the no repeat rides, we enjoy repeat rides and don't want to have to wait in SB lines to do it. Its the tiering, again because we want to minimize our wait time for our favorite rides.
It just doesn't work for the way our family vacations, and sure its possible that we won't be completely disappointed but right now that isn't a (financial) chance I'm going to take. I'll wait it out, and see what people say about this coming week since that is the week we would be there. I'm not saying I'll never go to WDW again because of FP+, but I'm not in any hurry to go back because of it.

 

[alicat8]

I don't understand why people can't grasp the concept that FP- was fair to everyone. It gave everyone and equal opportunity to get FPes. If some chose not to, or didn't know enough too that does not make the system "not fair".

And like the previous poster mentioned, this is not about fairness. Disney doesn't give a lick about making it fair for everyone. They care about making it easier for everyone to spend more money in the parks. That is the goal so please can we stop with the "its now fair for everyone" crap.

Exactly. It said in words right at the bottom of your fast pass when you could get the next one. Couldn't be much more clear and obvious than that!

 

[alicat8]

It really wasn't. I never "ran" anywhere in the park. I never crossed the park for the sole purpose of getting a fast pass. I was never rushed or stressed. I just took advantage of where I was and what was available.

Yes "running" was not necessary. You went to the next land, got your fast passes, and then went on the non FP rides while you waited for your time. Continue in next land...no running necessary.

 

[disneycrazi]

Here now and I understand Disney is out to make money, however this trip and Wednesday in particular Disney made way less off us. We used to open and close the park which meant way more drinks, snacks and merchandise. Wednesday though we were at MK and left by 4 due to the large crowds at attractions, eateries and shops. It was not fun to say the least. We used the 3 FP and due to new system could not get more. The standby lines were silly and I could not take the people walking into me because they were on their phone or tablet prob trying to book FP.
Today was better thanks goodness, but morning was the best and by 2 the crowds were ramping up.
Do I know this is SB? Yes however I am at the schedule mercy of my sons school and my retail manager job. Which means we can't go during Sept or Nov.
Spent way more this vacation outside of Disney property. Does Disney care? Prob not but they may care when more and more families start to do it.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

But how did the old system keep you from enjoying the park at a slower pace as you have said you are fine with? You have every right to enjoy the park that way but the old system didn't keep you from it. Our family does not enjoy just hanging out in the park. We enjoy riding to the max. We were willing to do what it took to get that experience out of our day and never complained.

The new system is going to keep us from enjoying the park the way we wish. The old system did not keep you from enjoying it the way you wished.

You've missing the point here. With the old system, people who liked to move at a slower pace got to go on way less rides than people like you. And according to you, rides are the best part. So the old system kept slower-paced people from experiencing the best parts.

 

[alicat8]

You've missing the point here. With the old system, people who liked to move at a slower pace got to go on way less rides than people like you. And according to you, rides are the best part. So the old system kept slower-paced people from experiencing the best parts.

Sooo if you go slower, you can't do as much? Crazy logic!

 

[WillAustin]

Sooo if you go slower, you can't do as much? Crazy logic!

I guess effort and results aren't supposed to correlate in today's world anymore. Everyone is paying to be there, thus any effort toward making all outcomes equal must be good, or at least better than it was before.

This stuff has "unintended consequences" written all over it. People will always learn to maximize a new system or even get around any limitations.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

Is this really happening yet? I know there have been hints to it but I haven't seen any reports of anyone that has been able to do it and I haven't seen anything stating a date that it was going to start. Not that expect Disney to notify it's guest of such a change.

We were in MK on Wednesday and a CM at a FP+ kiosk said it has not started yet.

 

[Eastern]

I don't really like FP+. However, it does give everyone a more equal chance of getting on 3 rides with less of a wait. So bad planners have a better chance than they used to.

But the essential problem is that Disney lets in too many people, and there are not enough rides to go around. They can fiddle with FP all they want, but until those two things change, it's not going to be the best experience.

Personally, I don't think it's a good value, or fun, to pay $100pp to get 3 rides guaranteed per day.

The best way to maximize your value is to go off-peak.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Question: Is it FP+ making vacations worse, or would they still be worse as Disney went to enforcing FP time windows on the first gen FP?

Speaking only for my family and me, it's FP+. As I stated earlier, I didn't even know that Disney didn't enforce the return times until they stated that they were going to enforce them. I returned during my window for each fastpass. I still pulled significantly more than 3 and used multiple fastpasses for multiple rides.

Yes "running" was not necessary. You went to the next land, got your fast passes, and then went on the non FP rides while you waited for your time. Continue in next land...no running necessary.

But it seems that there are many here no grasping this. They are convinced that grabbing 5, 6, 7, or even 10 fast passes meant that you hopped off one ride, sprinted to the next fast pass machine, ran across the park to another ride, etc. They don't seem to grasp that you could grab multiple FPs, enjoy the atmosphere, spend time with your family, and do off the beaten path stuff all without splitting up your party, running yourself ragged, or completely stressing out. Our vacations were perfectly relaxing for us and we were able to do everything we wanted - many of them multiple times.

 

[magicbob]

I don't really like FP+. However, it does give everyone a more equal chance of getting on 3 rides with less of a wait. So bad planners have a better chance than they used to.

But the essential problem is that Disney lets in too many people, and there are not enough rides to go around. They can fiddle with FP all they want, but until those two things change, it's not going to be the best experience.

Personally, I don't think it's a good value, or fun, to pay $100pp to get 3 rides guaranteed per day.

The best way to maximize your value is to go off-peak.

Respectfully, I disagree a little with the premise that "bad planners" have more chance to get on rides with less wait. I say this because, with the exception of a handful of rides (I'm looking at you, TSMM), even someone who did ZERO planning could waltz into the park and get FPs under the legacy system. Many didn't bother (some due to ignorance or misunderstanding the system). But you did not have to plan in order to get FP- (again, with the few exceptions such as planning to arrive early to have any hope of getting a TSMM FP). I agree that "non-planners" are kind of getting three FPs "spoonfed" to them, and this IS making it possible for people to ride a few rides with less wait. But the legacy system provided everyone with an equal chance of bypassing the line and minimizing waits for most rides. And you didn't have to plan ahead of time to take advantage of most legacy FPs. Just show up and grab one.

 

[Mkrop]

Here is what I don't understand about posts like these: if you pulled a legacy fastpass on a very crowded day for Space Mountain around midday, wouldn't you be locked out of any other fastpasses for several hours, maybe even after 7:00-8 pm? That is why a lot of us don't buy that you were pulling 10+ fastpasses on a very busy day. I believe people are forgetting that they probably would have a similarly bad time on capacity days even with the almighty legacy fastpass.

You obviously had no clue how FP- worked. You could get one 2 hours after your the time you pulled it or after you used your FP whichever came first.

Yes I never understood that approach as well, to spend all that time running to collect FPs and riding only a few attractions over and over again. For me the parks have so much else to offer to just be spending your time racing to the next ride - and doing so all day!

That is great for you, but we enjoy riding our favorites over and over, filling in with some other rides. And there was no running around the park, we never ran on FP- but we did run when we were running late for our TSMM FP+ and when we tried to change it the system would not work.

Why do we have to vacation like you???

I'm on vacation to relax and have fun with the kids and they'll ride something then want ice cream then do a couple of other little things then they want to eat then they want to buy something, etc, etc.

Everybody is different though, I just can't imagine running around all day trying to ride as many things as possible. It wouldn't be as fun for us. I get tired just thinking about it

Once again no running for us, and we traveled with young kids, and I could never understand wanting to eat so much while on vacation, we have a Mickey Bar or something similar but we are not big snackers, we are there to ride rides. We are also not big shoppers, so my kids never wanted to buy stuff, we would do that at the end of the trip. We love/loved our vacations and felt very relaxed.

Your way is just fine for your family, but so is ours and FP-s worked with that method of touring