MM+ never materialized?

[itchin2go]

This is really interesting. I noticed the same thing back in March. Disney' s effort to funnel guests onto lesser attractions doesn't appear to be successful.

Eh - I think it's marginally successful ... but to what end?

Imagination with Figment now has a line, and in many instances, people with a FP for it follow through and ride it. Whereas before, it was a largely ignored attraction. When we used to go to it pre-FP+, it would be surprising if there were one other person on the ride with us.

Regardless, is anyone's vacation better for having ridden it (notwithstanding my daughter who inexplicably has always loved it)? Does anyone go home and tell their friends that they rode this great Figment ride in Epcot? Is their vacation better for having ridden it? Will Figment insure that that they will return for another visit? Or does it actually dilute their experience and shine a light on the small number of good attractions in Epcot?

I can see where dividing people more equally amongst the attractions in a park is sound strategy for park management. But, with all rides not being equal, assuming they can make it work, is it sound strategy for creating amazing vacation memories for people?

 

[mom2rtk]

We did not RD every day, rode every headliner except RNRRC, and that was only because DD isn't tall enough for it. We did 6 park days, and weren't in any parks after 5pm. We had an amazing trip.

Riding headliners multiple times in the course of a trip is usually a key piece of making our own trips amazing. I'm sure it's a function of the ride junkie in me, or the fact that my 14 year old daughter is a ride junkie, but we'd likely feel a bit disappointed to ride them only once if we had a multi day trip.

Of course the limitations of the new system are accentuated for us. Since my daughter is entering high school, our trips are getting shorter instead of longer, really putting the squeeze on what we can get done. So back west we go........

 

[itchin2go]

I was merely responding to this part of what you said about sleeping in: But that specific situation aside, ordinarily, when someone says, "I love FP+ because I didn't have to show up for rope drop", it means they wanted to sleep in.

Apologies if I was unclear. We were discussing why people like FP+ vs. legacy. Some say they can now skip rope drop ... because of FP+. See the underlined phrase above.

I was just asking if that was a reason why FP+ works better for you. That was my only question.

I did what you describe under legacy FP.

FP+ aside, there are any number of reasons why people don't do rope drop. I recognize that. We were specifically talking about rope drop in the context of FP+.

 

[mom2rtk]

Eh - I think it's marginally successful ... but to what end?

Imagination with Figment now has a line, and in many instances, people with a FP for it follow through and ride it. Whereas before, it was a largely ignored attraction. When we used to go to it pre-FP+, it would be surprising if there were one other person on the ride with us.

Regardless, is anyone's vacation better for having ridden it (notwithstanding my daughter who inexplicably has always loved it)? Does anyone go home and tell their friends that they rode this great Figment ride in Epcot? Is their vacation better for having ridden it? Will Figment insure that that they will return for another visit? Or does it actually dilute their experience and shine a light on the small number of good attractions in Epcot?

I can see where dividing people more equally amongst the attractions in a park is sound strategy for park management. But, with all rides not being equal, assuming they can make it work, is it sound strategy for creating amazing vacation memories for people?

The question is.... if you make trips marginally better for some, and marginally worse for others....... is that a success?

 

[bcrook]

And nothing to do with what many say about DHS needing an overhaul and new attractions, and should be shuttered completely while they do that?

They could have started with the overhauls at Epcot and Dhs then started MM+ then not had tiers. But they tried MM+ hide their lack of ride problems. All it did was expose the shortages even more.

I was absolutely stunned at the number of options at DCA. Disney clearly knew how to turn that park around. Radiator Springs is simply jaw dropping good. So maybe DHS will be saved.

Epcot though? Hmmmmm. They closed Innoventions West and I see it is going to be part of the Food & Wine events. Wonders of life is an exhibition hall. Odyssey is a beer hall. Innoventions a wine and cheese hall. The Imagination Building and Maelstrom were Closed when I was there. They might as well make Epcot a free park to enter and convert it to a really nice Mall.

I love being in there, but I just go to eat and drink at this point. And enjoy the beautiful grounds and Illuminations.

 

[bcrook]

I always wondered about the tiers that they put in after testing started in DHS and Epcot. Did they really not know they were going to need those tiers? I guess not.

They had to know. We knew. But, I guess they really were convinced that they would be able to utilize their existing infrastructure better. That does seem naive though.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Eh - I think it's marginally successful ... but to what end?

Imagination with Figment now has a line, and in many instances, people with a FP for it follow through and ride it. Whereas before, it was a largely ignored attraction. When we used to go to it pre-FP+, it would be surprising if there were one other person on the ride with us.

Regardless, is anyone's vacation better for having ridden it (notwithstanding my daughter who inexplicably has always loved it)? Does anyone go home and tell their friends that they rode this great Figment ride in Epcot? Is their vacation better for having ridden it? Will Figment insure that that they will return for another visit? Or does it actually dilute their experience and shine a light on the small number of good attractions in Epcot?

I can see where dividing people more equally amongst the attractions in a park is sound strategy for park management. But, with all rides not being equal, assuming they can make it work, is it sound strategy for creating amazing vacation memories for people?

No. Kidding. Sort of.

This all comes back to Disney trying to mold your day into something that fits their business needs. Seems like the standard formula is three headliners (or one or two), perhaps a few second-tier attractions, a parade or a show or fireworks, an ADR or two, and swimming at your resort or going to DTD or some other activity. And there is nothing wrong with that schedule, I'm sure it is a pleasant day for many people.

 

[ArwenMarie]

They had to know. We knew. But, I guess they really were convinced that they would be able to utilize their existing infrastructure better. That does seem naive though.

That's true. Someone had to know. I guess it was more a political decision like let's see how it goes before we have to do that, fingers crossed.

 

[socrateze]

Eh - I think it's marginally successful ... but to what end?

Imagination with Figment now has a line, and in many instances, people with a FP for it follow through and ride it. Whereas before, it was a largely ignored attraction. When we used to go to it pre-FP+, it would be surprising if there were one other person on the ride with us.

Regardless, is anyone's vacation better for having ridden it (notwithstanding my daughter who inexplicably has always loved it)? Does anyone go home and tell their friends that they rode this great Figment ride in Epcot? Is their vacation better for having ridden it? Will Figment insure that that they will return for another visit? Or does it actually dilute their experience and shine a light on the small number of good attractions in Epcot?

I can see where dividing people more equally amongst the attractions in a park is sound strategy for park management. But, with all rides not being equal, assuming they can make it work, is it sound strategy for creating amazing vacation memories for people?

You know, I've gotten to the point where when I post about my most recent trip, I am only thinking about MK? But how is anyone else to know that? We visited Epcot, but the park was empty so FP+ wasn't even needed. As far as Figment and EO FP+, all I can think is Are you kidding me? I won't visit now that I'm competing with FP+ riders.

No, I can't say that my last vacation was amazing. Disappointing would be more accurate. We won't be returning. We can't justify the expense for 3 ride reservations and long SB lines everywhere else ( MK). Epcot was nice, but again way too expensive for a shopping mall type of experience.

 

[itchin2go]

No. Kidding. Sort of.

This all comes back to Disney trying to mold your day into something that fits their business needs. Seems like the standard formula is three headliners (or one or two), perhaps a few second-tier attractions, a parade or a show or fireworks, an ADR or two, and swimming at your resort or going to DTD or some other activity. And there is nothing wrong with that schedule, I'm sure it is a pleasant day for many people.

YES! It is a successful day for many. But why should THEY define what a successful day is? And yet, that's exactly what they're trying to do. And they're pretty good at it.

 

[itchin2go]

You know, I've gotten to the point where when I post about my most recent trip, I am only thinking about MK? But how is anyone else to know that? We visited Epcot, but the park was empty so FP+ wasn't even needed. As far as Figment and EO FP+, all I can think is Are you kidding me? I won't visit now that I'm competing with FP+ riders.

No, I can't say that my last vacation was amazing. Disappointing would be more accurate. We won't be returning. We can't justify the expense for 3 ride reservations and long SB lines everywhere else ( MK). Epcot was nice, but again way too expensive for a shopping mall type of experience.

You'll probably like this story.

I doubt my own memory sometimes, especially with things that I read on these boards (LOL), so I asked my daughter (the one who loves Figment), if PRIOR to our last trip, we ever saw a line for Figment. Nope she says. And I'm like - literally, there was almost never a person in front of us or a person behind us, right? Yep, she says.

So then I say, "On our last trip (FP+), was there a line for Figment?" "Yes," she says, "But we had a FP+ for it, so we didn't have to wait." In my head, I'm throwing my hands up in the air. Arrggh! Whatever was broken is NOT what got fixed.

 

[LOL!]

Had it not been for FP+, I never would have realized Living with the Land was a top tier attraction.

 

[bcrook]

Riding headliners multiple times in the course of a trip is usually a key piece of making our own trips amazing. I'm sure it's a function of the ride junkie in me, or the fact that my 14 year old daughter is a ride junkie, but we'd likely feel a bit disappointed to ride them only once if we had a multi day trip.

Of course the limitations of the new system are accentuated for us. Since my daughter is entering high school, our trips are getting shorter instead of longer, really putting the squeeze on what we can get done. So back west we go........

There's no doubt for my family it's those times we get to repeat rides that is the most fun. Like having multiple attempts at beating your score (and your cocky 19 year old son) at TSMM, or dragging different people on Tower of a Terror multiple times to see the different reactions. Or designing different cars at Test Track. Or even getting to see the ride details better on the Mine Train. Plus I just like riding Peter Pan and Haunted Mansion more than once.

On my last trip Everest and Little Mermaid were easy to get on, so we rode Everest until I got a headache. . And turned Under the Sea into a Sing a Long.

Multiple rides should not be a luxury. After paying $2000 for tickets I think it should be an expectation. It isn't.

But. If Dhs, Epcot and DAK pulled their own weight less people would flood into MK, all rides would become more accessible.

 

[itchin2go]

Had it not been for FP+, I never would have realized Living with the Land was a top tier attraction.

Dude - it was packed on our last trip.

I am still baffled as to why, because it's a Tier 1, right? I have a number of theories ....

 

[socrateze]

They had to know. We knew. But, I guess they really were convinced that they would be able to utilize their existing infrastructure better. That does seem naive though.

I blame it on the Disney interns. You know, the same ones who never seem to understand that their website is going to experience a high volume of traffic when tickets go on sale for a special event? High volume will cause the website to crash. The same interns who didn't realize that the MK A& E would be wildly popular?

 

[bcrook]

Had it not been for FP+, I never would have realized Living with the Land was a top tier attraction.

No kidding. And I havent seen a line for that ride during my last two trips. There used to be some people waiting and a little queue going. But now with Fastpass plus reservation system it is always a total walk on. This could be a MM+ success story we ar overlooking.

 

[bcrook]

Dude - it was packed on our last trip.

I am still baffled as to why, because it's a Tier 1, right? I have a number of theories ....

Did you really see people there? Maybe July 6 th is not peak time anymore. I couldn't find anybody in Epcot that wasn't in test track or Soarin lines. The rest of the park was a ghost town.

 

[bcrook]

I blame it on the Disney interns. You know, the same ones who never seem to understand that their website is going to experience a high volume of traffic when tickets go on sale for a special event? High volume will cause the website to crash. The same interns who didn't realize that the MK A& E would be wildly popular?

I see what you did there...

 

[itchin2go]

Did you really see people there? Maybe July 6 th is not peak time anymore. I couldn't find anybody in Epcot that wasn't in test track or Soarin lines. The rest of the park was a ghost town.

I have a picture somewhere. I was amazed at the line, and this was sometime between 9-11, because after 11, we move to WS and don't look back. It was slammed. This was Thanksgiving week ..... Maybe they've worked something out since then?

 

[grimley1968]

Epcot though? Hmmmmm. They closed Innoventions West and I see it is going to be part of the Food & Wine events. Wonders of life is an exhibition hall. Odyssey is a beer hall. Innoventions a wine and cheese hall. The Imagination Building and Maelstrom were Closed when I was there. They might as well make Epcot a free park to enter and convert it to a really nice Mall.

They could call it Downtown Disney International.

DHS could indeed be saved, but it may be too late for a lot of visitors like me, who have gotten tired of watching the park close one attraction at a time until it has become a shell of its former self. Seeing the snail's pace progress at MK and AK recently, any rumored improvements to DHS are a LONG way off.