More updated Fastpass+ information

[Leeanne]

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't this technology in the parks already. I never had one but read about Pal Mickey. Did he not have some type of sensor to tell about rides, character meet/greet, parades, jokes, etc? And it was based off sensors in the parks right? I can see, in the future, as a GPS-type service offering what the PP referred to "Surprise FP for pirates". Also I can see this being awesome for parents with kids!!
As far as IT staff being up to par with demand, it doesn't matter how much you test something, you have no way to do "live testing" at the level that Disney has. One or two resorts is great but that may be what 1/12, 1/13 of the population? I work an IT helpdesk and something always goes wrong, no matter how long you test. Wait does this mean they may be hiring!! Oh, pick me!!!

To quote a non-Disney movie "all major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked! Yeah but John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists."
Jurassic park.

All about perspective people!!!

 

[mesaboy2]

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't this technology in the parks already. I never had one but read about Pal Mickey. Did he not have some type of sensor to tell about rides, character meet/greet, parades, jokes, etc? And it was based off sensors in the parks right? I can see, in the future, as a GPS-type service offering what the PP referred to "Surprise FP for pirates". Also I can see this being awesome for parents with kids!!
As far as IT staff being up to par with demand, it doesn't matter how much you test something, you have no way to do "live testing" at the level that Disney has. One or two resorts is great but that may be what 1/12, 1/13 of the population? I work an IT helpdesk and something always goes wrong, no matter how long you test. Wait does this mean they may be hiring!! Oh, pick me!!!

To quote a non-Disney movie "all major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked! Yeah but John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists."
Jurassic park.

All about perspective people!!!

This is being implemented on a scale that would have poor Pal Mickey wet his little Sorcerer pants. I'm not sure this is something that lends itself to scalability.

 

[mom2rtk]

Can I name drop too?

Only if you let me borrow that shiny new camera. Heck forget that. With this new high paying job, I'll buy a couple of my own!

Well yes, to a degree. But if suspicions turn out to be true and EMH are eventually done away with, that will put more pressure on at RD so some many well be worse off in that scramble when the park opens to everyone and you have the would have been EMH folk at the turnstiles WITH the regular RD guests instead of spreading them out over that additional hour ......

Hard ticket parties could soon be the only easy access to headliner rides. We normally do 2 parties, one for character meets, and one for parade/fireworks etc. I could see adding a 3rd one for ride access. I could see ditching my long term park tickets I'm used to buying and just buying a few nights at a party plus 2 or 3 regular park days. It would end up costing a little more, but could be worth it.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I really think a lot of the folks who are sold on this new system are the ones who like to sleep late but want a FP for TSMM. But if they don't get one of the coveted late day slots, their only FP option could very well be a time that requires they get there right after rope drop anyway. That is only marginally better than the current system for them.

personally, I'd like to do both.

Stampede, ride, and then be able to ride again later (like in the old days when you could hold your regular FP past the one hour).

As it stands now, it's impossible for me to ride later without the wait, which I won't do.

here's hoping they will be like the coveted restaurant slots, which I have never been closed out of (because I call on my 180+10 day).

 

[2Tiggies]

This is being implemented on a scale that would have poor Pal Mickey wet his little Sorcerer pants. I'm not sure this is something that lends itself to scalability.

Sorry, but that had me spitting my beverage on the table

 

[mom2rtk]

Sorry, but that had me spitting my beverage on the table

There is FAR too much beverage spitting going on here today!

 

[Leeanne]

This is being implemented on a scale that would have poor Pal Mickey wet his little Sorcerer pants. I'm not sure this is something that lends itself to scalability.

LOL!!! Now that is a great statement!!
Well I agree with that. Obviously it is in all parks, resorts, etc which is a much bigger scale than Pal Mickey. However, did it not use similar technology? And this is me truly not knowing.

 

[mom2rtk]

personally, I'd like to do both.

Stampede, ride, and then be able to ride again later (like in the old days when you could hold your regular FP past the one hour).

As it stands now, it's impossible for me to ride later without the wait, which I won't do.

here's hoping they will be like the coveted restaurant slots, which I have never been closed out of (because I call on my 180+10 day).

That's sort of the problem. LOTS of folks would like to stampede, ride and then have a slot for later too. PLUS all the folks who want to sleep then ride later. Everyone is going to want a later slot. I just don't see that working out that way. Hope I'm wrong though.

And sure you can do what you want now. Just be there 30 minutes before rope drop. When they let you in 20 minutes early, ride twice standby, then pick up a fastpass for later. It actually works very well right now. FAR better than it did in the stampede days. I'm sorry the opening show is gone, but it made for a much better morning there.

 

[mesaboy2]

LOL!!! Now that is a great statement!!
Well I agree with that. Obviously it is in all parks, resorts, etc which is a much bigger scale than Pal Mickey. However, did it not use similar technology? And this is me truly not knowing.

The concept behind it was similar, yes. It wasn't RFID, but IR (infrared) if I recall correctly. And that cost about $50 to be a part of--don't ask me how I know.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Wow, a lot happened while I stepped away to work for awhile. Heh. I'm not going to go back and quote previous posters because well, I don't know how to multi quote.

I'm basing ALL my speculation on the patents, nothing more. The patents are for a "Guest Experience Management System" (or something along those lines...I haven't looked at them in while). They're not using GPS technology to track you, they're using RFID technology...basically they're pinging your location as you come near a sensor. We've all been wondering why these turnstyles are turning up at every attraction...well, they need to be so they can track where guests are.

I do agree with the statement johde made that mesaboy bolded. I think this system is essentially going to take away the advantage that many of us had. However, I don't think it's going to completely erase that advantage. I still think that first hour, 90 minutes in each park is going to be key. Many people are on vacation and want to sleep in. Many people like doing a leisurely breakfast. The rest of us will still know that early is key, and that should still give us an advantage. Frankly, I think that the biggest losers in FP+/More Magic + (or whatever it's called) is going to be Touring Plans and other services that charge to make Disney touring plans. Disney is doing this for you...why should you pay extra from an outside vendor for something Disney will offer for free?

 

[mesaboy2]

Wow, a lot happened while I stepped away to work for awhile. Heh. I'm not going to go back and quote previous posters because well, I don't know how to multi quote.

I'm basing ALL my speculation on the patents, nothing more. The patents are for a "Guest Experience Management System" (or something along those lines...I haven't looked at them in while). They're not using GPS technology to track you, they're using RFID technology...basically they're pinging your location as you come near a sensor. We've all been wondering why these turnstyles are turning up at every attraction...well, they need to be so they can track where guests are.

I do agree with the statement johde made that mesaboy bolded. I think this system is essentially going to take away the advantage that many of us had. However, I don't think it's going to completely erase that advantage. I still think that first hour, 90 minutes in each park is going to be key. Many people are on vacation and want to sleep in. Many people like doing a leisurely breakfast. The rest of us will still know that early is key, and that should still give us an advantage. Frankly, I think that the biggest losers in FP+/More Magic + (or whatever it's called) is going to be Touring Plans and other services that charge to make Disney touring plans. Disney is doing this for you...why should you pay extra from an outside vendor for something Disney will offer for free?

See, you I can reason with.

To multiquote, just click on the little double-quotes immediately to the right of the Quote button for all posts you want to capture, then click Post Reply at the bottom of the thread. All selected posts will appear.

 

[LaurenT]

Only if you let me borrow that shiny new camera. Heck forget that. With this new high paying job, I'll buy a couple of my own!

Hard ticket parties could soon be the only easy access to headliner rides. We normally do 2 parties, one for character meets, and one for parade/fireworks etc. I could see adding a 3rd one for ride access. I could see ditching my long term park tickets I'm used to buying and just buying a few nights at a party plus 2 or 3 regular park days. It would end up costing a little more, but could be worth it.

Well...this opens up a whole new category of questions
If the FP machines are done away with...will you prebook FPs for hard ticket events...or will those all be of the "on-the-go" variety, or no FP at all....
Hmmmm.....

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Wow, a lot happened while I stepped away to work for awhile. Heh. I'm not going to go back and quote previous posters because well, I don't know how to multi quote.

I'm basing ALL my speculation on the patents, nothing more. The patents are for a "Guest Experience Management System" (or something along those lines...I haven't looked at them in while). They're not using GPS technology to track you, they're using RFID technology...basically they're pinging your location as you come near a sensor. We've all been wondering why these turnstyles are turning up at every attraction...well, they need to be so they can track where guests are.

I do agree with the statement johde made that mesaboy bolded. I think this system is essentially going to take away the advantage that many of us had. However, I don't think it's going to completely erase that advantage. I still think that first hour, 90 minutes in each park is going to be key. Many people are on vacation and want to sleep in. Many people like doing a leisurely breakfast. The rest of us will still know that early is key, and that should still give us an advantage. Frankly, I think that the biggest losers in FP+/More Magic + (or whatever it's called) is going to be Touring Plans and other services that charge to make Disney touring plans. Disney is doing this for you...why should you pay extra from an outside vendor for something Disney will offer for free?

~Wow, another fabulous post, jtown! I really appreciate your brilliant perspective on FP+. I can't wait to hear more!

 

[2Tiggies]

There is FAR too much beverage spitting going on here today!

Yeah I think table manners on the DISboards have taken a loop for the worse, lol

 

[fflmaster]

Both may coexist for a short time...
Maybe.

We don't know if guests can get additional FP's the day-of at the parks in addition to
the reserved FP+.

I disagree that we will not be able to do fp+ at the park during the day.

In my DVC newsletter the article talking about FP+ specifically says that we will have the opportunity to schedule our ride in advance and during the day at the park.

However, that doesn't mean that the headliners will have anything available.

I can see all the Toy Story Mania FP+ gone, but still able to make FP+ for star tours during the day we are at the park.

I would expect that we are jumping the gun with the "the sky is falling" attitude.

Nothing wrong with voicing our opinions in the hopes that disney listens and puts in the changes that its customers want. But until we actually know what is going to be allowed and what isn't we just don't know any real answers.

On a side note, all those saying this is the end of park hopping.. Not really.
Why could we schedule our night time park FP+ attractions and then hit RD at the other park when lines are short.

I think the new system will be great for those that don't go to RD and those that like to park hop.

I can't wait to try and hit MK during RD and then have my scheduled HS FP+ rides at night after we take our afternoon swim break. Will be nice not to have to run for a TSM fp.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

I disagree that we will not be able to do fp+ at the park during the day.

In my DVC newsletter the article talking about FP+ specifically says that we will have the opportunity to schedule our ride in advance and during the day at the park.

However, that doesn't mean that the headliners will have anything available.

I can see all the Toy Story Mania FP+ gone, but still able to make FP+ for star tours during the day we are at the park.

I would expect that we are jumping the gun with the "the sky is falling" attitude.

Nothing wrong with voicing our opinions in the hopes that disney listens and puts in the changes that its customers want. But until we actually know what is going to be allowed and what isn't we just don't know any real answers.

On a side note, all those saying this is the end of park hopping.. Not really.
Why could we schedule our night time park FP+ attractions and then hit RD at the other park when lines are short.

I think the new system will be great for those that don't go to RD and those that like to park hop.

I can't wait to try and hit MK during RD and then have my scheduled HS FP+ rides at night after we take our afternoon swim break. Will be nice not to have to run for a TSM fp.

~Great post! I especially agree with the underlined. I'm looking forward to this, too! Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful post!

 

[ManyMinnie]

This is being implemented on a scale that would have poor Pal Mickey wet his little Sorcerer pants. I'm not sure this is something that lends itself to scalability.

 

[JustAKid]

"Don't claim you're sincere, just be it."

 

[fflmaster]

I just love the optimism of everyone who believes they will able to get the afternoon/evening times for TSMM.

This is the part I am most interested to see rolled out.

Sure hope I have to eat a big serving of crow on this one. Becuase that will mean we all got what we wanted.

I agree with this above.

I could see TSM night FP being like BOG adrs.. Better be online at the day your FP+ opens or your out of luck.

 

[JustAKid]

I agree with this above.

I could see TSM night FP being like BOG adrs.. Better be online at the day your FP+ opens or your out of luck.

It's a bit different, though, innit? Cause no ADR mean you can't eat there AT ALL. One could still ride even if they're not online when FP opens.

Plus...wouldn't this be a GOOD thing as we'll know hours, days, MONTHS before just how many people will be on select ride at select time? Or so that we can even it out a bit in order to not have the wait be 239847239847 minutes 2 minutes after park opening for those of us who missed our chance?