My 2 cents on FP+

[Jennasis]

I agree with Op. Its clunky, slow, and non-intuitive (on purpose). But thats Disney all the time now. Tried to make an ADR last night and both MDE and the app were not working. Very frustrating. I had to call for the reservation.

My FP+ window opens Monday night. Not looking forward to it.

 

[Lucius Best]

If you were there at Rope Drop. We would often arrive half hour after park opening and there would be no FP for TSMM or Soarin'. Some people were better with paper FP, others with FP+. Peronally I liked paper FP in general, except for Soarin' and TSMM as I never managed to get a FP. Will see in a years time if I like FP+.

Arriving a half hour after park opening was definitely not the best park touring strategy with paper FP. That would be equivalent to booking your FP+ the night before instead of 60 days out. You're not going to be able to get everything.

 

[jon18uk]

Arriving a half hour after park opening was definitely not the best park touring strategy with paper FP. That would be equivalent to booking your FP+ the night before instead of 60 days out. You're not going to be able to get everything.

I just endured the hour long TSMM standby line instead. Didn't let it ruin my holiday

 

[Lucius Best]

People mistakenly look at Fast Pass + as .. "If I can't get a fast pass I can't ride the ride!"
It is just a perk .. a bonus to let you skip the lines of 3 (or more) lines.
Why complain about a perk? Would you rather there be NO fast pass and you would have to wait in line for everything?

Who are these people who say "If I can't get a fast pass I can't ride the ride!" I don't think I've ever seen or heard anyone say that. More often I see people say "FP+ is optional, if you don't like it, don't use it."

Also, if you read carefully, no one is saying that they would prefer it if there was NO Fastpass. The OP is not complaining about the perk, they are trying to use it, and complaining about how long it took to get what they wanted through the clunky and slow website.

 

[disneydude365]

Sorry you had bad experience
The time delay may be on your end. It's never took more than a few seconds to load for me.
I was slightly worried for our upcoming trip had to get 5 separate day fast pass+ choices for 10 people all wanting to stay together during fast pass rides
I had it done within under an hour for the whole trip plenty of selections and didn't have to do the different time slots for same hour

The only thing that I've had trouble with us ADR

Personally I hated the old fast pass system there was never any left when we'd go to get one
This way everyone has a chance to get one even three per day plus can get more as day goes on

Some like it some don't lol

 

[tlmadden73]

Who are these people who say "If I can't get a fast pass I can't ride the ride!" I don't think I've ever seen or heard anyone say that. More often I see people say "FP+ is optional, if you don't like it, don't use it."

Also, if you read carefully, no one is saying that they would prefer it if there was NO Fastpass. The OP is not complaining about the perk, they are trying to use it, and complaining about how long it took to get what they wanted through the clunky and slow website.

True .. it is just most complaints I see about Fast Pass seem to be people who seem to think that if they didn't get their "first choices" then the vacation is ruined .. as if somehow that magically can't ride that ride.

Is the system clunky? A bit, but I was mainly referring to the OPs complaint about not getting their "first choices".

(I've found the MDE app to be better (faster) than the website ... which is odd and unfortunate).

 

[Jennasis]

Personally I hated the old fast pass system there was never any left when we'd go to get one
This way everyone has a chance to get one even three per day plus can get more as day goes on

Some like it some don't lol

The only difference between FP+ and old school FP is rope drop is now 60+ days before your trip. With FP+ everyone does not have the same chance to get one as people whose trip started days before yours likely have snapped up all the passes (A&E 7D TSMM parades)...just like those who showed up at rope drop used to.

 

[DisneyFive]

Here now... Probably been said a million times... For us, the biggest problem with FP+ is the inability to FP both Soarin and Test Track, or TSMM and Rockin Roller Coaster on the same day. We used to be able to ride both multiple times a day in the past.

Biggest benefit is the ability to sleep in if needed.

The cons far outweigh the pros.

Dan

 

[Jennasis]

True .. it is just most complaints I see about Fast Pass seem to be people who seem to think that if they didn't get their "first choices" then the vacation is ruined .. as if somehow that magically can't ride that ride.

Is the system clunky? A bit, but I was mainly referring to the OPs complaint about not getting their "first choices".

(I've found the MDE app to be better (faster) than the website ... which is odd and unfortunate).

Never read anyone claiming trip "ruined" due to being shut out of FP+. Just frustration and disappointment. Just like with old school FP being gone an hour after park open.

 

[Robo]

Guests must learn to settle for the new system.
Guests must learn to love the new system.
Guests not in compliance must visit the relearning center (FP+ for relearning available 60 days in advance.)

 

[katmatry]

when FP+ first came out I thought I would hate it, we were pros with the paper fastpasses. Turns out I was wrong, I love FP+. It has changed the way we vacation at Disney in a good way. No more getting up to be at rope drop so my husband could run for fasspasses while the rest of us get in line for something. We have slowed down, we enjoy more time at the resort, we take in the little details in the parks that we used to miss because we were running around. I don't get frustrated when I'm scheduling my choices, I love the planning process. I hope you have a great trip.

 

[MrInfinity]

OP already answered that question, problem wasn't rides not being available, it was modifying the FP+ times which was time-consuming.

Yeah, I guess. First she said very few of our first choices were available. Then she added that all attractions were available, but just not at specific times. That doesn't really help planners unless you give some details. She even got A&E? People waited 6 hours to see A&E before FP+, so to get to see them with no wait seems awesome to me, even if it's not at the ideal time. I'm not dismissing her experience of the site being clunky, cuz I found that too... I was just curious what her expectation was such that she got all attractions including A&E and still felt like she didn't get most of what she wanted.

 

[HopperFan]

- I leave in 3 days for a 10 day trip.
- I had not booked my FP+ and only had two ADRs.
- I got on the computer last night and got all the FP+ I wanted minus the 7DMT which I knew I wouldn't get at this point.
- Had my choice of times for TSMM and most others except A&E which I got later at night right after Wishes, gonna be there anyway, why not say hello.
- I moved times all around and got exactly what I wanted very easily.
- At no time did it take more than a few seconds to jump from page to page or give me new options.
- I booked out 7 days worth of FP+ with changes easily and without much time.
- I think the changes they made from the original system have made it work well now.
- I imagine over time there will be more changes, especially when the Epcot, AK and DHS new attractions become live.

While I know at times the system moves slower - that could be a result of:
- How many people are on the system trying to do the same things as you.
- User's internet speed (which can vary from hour to hour even in same location) and (FYI in parks I often can't change on the fly using Disney WiFi, but move to data and it's done quickly).
- Computer or device being used (I can switch computers and get different speeds), I know we have 9 computers and 6 tablets.
- I think we all forget that our own computers can often be the issue to many of our problems. (just finished major scan and clean of three of ours, HUGE difference in speed now).

Last night I also booked a few ADRS including an 8 am - pre-opening breakfast at BOG. Was zooming all over the Dining pages exploring without issue. Was surprised at how many options I had, except for the MK. OF COURSE, it was fully booked except for Tony's, even right before MNSSHP they can't fill that place.

 

[ELSA711]

Here now... Probably been said a million times... For us, the biggest problem with FP+ is the inability to FP both Soarin and Test Track, or TSMM and Rockin Roller Coaster on the same day. We used to be able to ride both multiple times a day in the past.

Biggest benefit is the ability to sleep in if needed.

The cons far outweigh the pros.

Dan

For us the pros of relaxing more on vacation outweigh not riding something multiple times, but again we obviously visit WDW for other reasons. We live in the NE and we have access to many more parks with far better rides than WDW. If we hit each attraction we love once in our 10 day stay we are happy...and know their will be a next trip (at least for us - I know not everyone says that)

 

[disneydude365]

The only difference between FP+ and old school FP is rope drop is now 60+ days before your trip. With FP+ everyone does not have the same chance to get one as people whose trip started days before yours likely have snapped up all the passes (A&E 7D TSMM parades)...just like those who showed up at rope drop used to.

Well all I know is all the horror stories I've read have never reached me

I've done Disney a year, months, and even a day in advanced never had trouble getting everything we wanted
The day we decided to go the next day in June we saw was crowded but still managed dwarfs, Anna Elsa, and splash mountain fast pass+ selections
There have been a few times we didn't find the total amount needed for group but never long before the total is obtained
Might need to work at it some but in my opinion it's a better system for the way I do Disney I guess

 

[Jennasis]

Last night I also booked a few ADRS including an 8 am - pre-opening breakfast at BOG. Was zooming all over the Dining pages exploring without issue. Was surprised at how many options I had, except for the MK. OF COURSE, it was fully booked except for Tony's, even right before MNSSHP they can't fill that place.

Thay's funny...last night I needed to book an ADR and both the app and the site were crashing so badly i had to abandon hope and call to make the reservation. Phone CM was having issues too but finally got it booked...i think. Lol

 

[Lucius Best]

True .. it is just most complaints I see about Fast Pass seem to be people who seem to think that if they didn't get their "first choices" then the vacation is ruined .. as if somehow that magically can't ride that ride.

I tend to have sympathy for people who are having trouble with the new system, whether it's the MDE app, or the website, or FP+ tiers, or not being able to get 7DMT 60 days in advance. Especially first-timers who don't know what to expect. Disney markets FP+ as a "priceless perk" and not just "quick and easy" but "easier than ever". For every complaint about FP+ on these boards, there is always someone replying "I love FP+, I got everything I wanted". So when an inexperienced Disney guest tries to book their FP+ 60 days in advance and it takes them two hours, and certain rides aren't available, I can understand why they are frustrated, and I think there is room on here to let them vent.

 

[HopperFan]

Thay's funny...last night I needed to book an ADR and both the app and the site were crashing so badly i had to abandon hope and call to make the reservation. Phone CM was having issues too but finally got it booked...i think. Lol

See how strange it is ....it's why it's so hard for folks to reconcile what it is going on. Since many CMs are not onsite but working from elsewhere (some even from home), their access probably isn't much different from ours, they should just have access to more things in the system than we do, once in.

If the system is actually crashed then no one should be able to get on at all and they have had those days (first day of Free Dining, BOG first opening for ADRs) ... When some get on and some do not, it seems more like that the issues are somewhere between the Disney system and us. We all have come to rely on the internet and our devices so much that I think we forget how complicated it all is to make it work.

 

[BudgieMama]

While I know at times the system moves slower - that could be a result of:
- How many people are on the system trying to do the same things as you.
- User's internet speed (which can vary from hour to hour even in same location) and (FYI in parks I often can't change on the fly using Disney WiFi, but move to data and it's done quickly).
- Computer or device being used (I can switch computers and get different speeds), I know we have 9 computers and 6 tablets.
- I think we all forget that our own computers can often be the issue to many of our problems. (just finished major scan and clean of three of ours, HUGE difference in speed now).

I think this is really cruical when thinking about loading times. We have a business level internet connection at home due to my DH's job, and I can see the load times get slower as the evening draws on (I work in a school, and get home relatively early). We'd been having some connection issues last week, swapped routers to try and solve it and it killed out internet, everything timed out. I could use my phone's data allowance fine, but the WiFi was unusable.

My husband works in IT and is a dab hand at fixing stuff, but we still have issues with our internet speed at times due to any one or combination of the ones HopperFan mentions.

OP, I'm sorry you had issues. I can't say that I've found a 2/3 minute page load the norm with MDE, so I think you got caught by an additional issue. It is a pain (I nearly threw my laptop on the floor last week when our internet died!)

 

[Jennasis]

See how strange it is ....it's why it's so hard for folks to reconcile what it is going on. Since many CMs are not onsite but working from elsewhere (some even from home), their access probably isn't much different from ours, they should just have access to more things in the system than we do, once in.

If the system is actually crashed then no one should be able to get on at all and they have had those days (first day of Free Dining, BOG first opening for ADRs) ... When some get on and some do not, it seems more like that the issues are somewhere between the Disney system and us. We all have come to rely on the internet and our devices so much that I think we forget how complicated it all is to make it work.

It's crazy isn't it? Plus I still haven't received a confirmation email about the reservation, and it hasn't shown up in my MDE account. I just called them to make sure the reservation was actually in their system (which it was) and I made them give me the confirmation number again so I can write it down in my notes.