My impression of FP+ for the masses

[surferdave]

Anything other than "magical" is a negative response and recognized as such.

Someone internally may recognize it that way but these percentages that we keep hearing publicized are not drawing the line at "magical".

 

[ArwenMarie]

Wouldn't a company want more information than that? If it were my company I'd want to know why it wasn't a good experience.

You would think, but no, not always. Often top executives just want reports that tells them everything they are doing is super. If your market research department isn't sufficiently autonomous and given distinct orders from someone higher to find the truth, that's exactly the result they will get.

 

[Planogirl]

You would think, but no, not always. Often top executives just want reports that tells them everything they are doing is super. If your market research department isn't sufficiently autonomous and given distinct orders from someone higher to find the truth, that's exactly the result they will get.

What matters is what you present to the top guys and the stockholders. Disney could see any negativity as just growing pains until they reach their final goal. Whatever that is.

 

[larryz]

Disney could see any negativity as just growing pains until they reach their final goal. Whatever that is.

Global domination.

 

[Suvadoo]

What matters is what you present to the top guys and the stockholders. Disney could see any negativity as just growing pains until they reach their final goal. Whatever that is.

That's true, but what if their survey results and their quarterly financial reports contradict each other?

 

[Planogirl]

That's true, but what if their survey results and their quarterly financial reports contradict each other?

There are ways to fudge things. I'm not saying that they will but just saying...

At least until they reach their goal of global domination.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well, I'm a first timer and it all seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. If I can't get a FP+ time I can still go on that line. I just need to figure out how to make it work with my family.

I'm also going over a holiday weekend, though, so what do I know?

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but your tempest in a teapot may escalate to a full overboil after you arrive. I was there two weeks ago when it was crazy busy. I had booked my FP ahead of time, but the stand by lines on those big attractions were nuts. I have visited enough times to simply figure I will the on next trip, but for those people who have the expectation of experiencing a lot, there may be some problems.

I am not suggesting that the standby times were horrendous throughout the parks on every attraction, but if yuo miss your window on Soarin', the Dwarfs, and many of the thrill rides, you will probably not get them unless you are willing to wait for over an hour or more.

I liked FP, but I can see how it may not be a great experience for those people who choose not to stay onsite, or who like to be spontaneous. I believe the Holiday Season approaching will be a test for this system.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I was all set to despise FP+ based on the boards input and I found it absolutely much ado about nothing. I didn't even notice much of a difference to my usual trip. I read some complaining about how a poster used to be able to ride TSMM 16 times a day and now the best he/she can do is 6 and I find it very hard to muster the violins for stuff like that.

 

[Nancyg56]

When I was there oct 31-nov 5 I found the opposite. Angry people who missed the old system and families melting down. I even told a guy to stop being mean to his wife because he was so relentless and she looked ready to either kick him or leave. Many people not knowing how to do the 4th fast pass and getting mad at their phones (I helped them) fast pass kiosk locations closed while the open locations had lines that took 20+ minutes to get through. You don't need a cast member at each one of those darn computers.... Spread em out and open all the locations.

I totally agree! I think you should be able to add them from your phone. I saw a line at one open kiosk, decided I would spend as much time in that line as the one I wanted so I passed it. It was ridiculous, IMO.

Wouldn't a company want more information than that? If it were my company I'd want to know why it wasn't a good experience.

They know. They just don't want others who are on the fence to know. For instance, you are planning a WDW vacation, find their website, and start reading. You see a huge kerfuffle about FP, and how it negatively impacted a vacation. You are planning Christmas week, and you already know about the crowds, but figure with proper planning you will be fine. Now you are not sure. Maybe Rocking Horse Ranch is a better destination this year.

I was chatting with a MOm who was used to DLR. She took her kids and had not had the time to do much planning. Day one was a fiasco, and after I talked to her, i know Day 2 was going to be worse. No FP available for the Dwarfs, but they were getting to MK around RD. Not an hour before RD, but RD. The lines were already over an hour and the park had not officially opened.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I liked FP, but I can see how it may not be a great experience for those people who choose not to stay onsite, or who like to be spontaneous. I believe the Holiday Season approaching will be a test for this system.

I am of the opinion that the offsite guests while not getting first crack, should be happy they are still getting that, and not being made to wait til the day of, or just not having it available, or only available for an extra fee.

After all, Disney is the last of the theme parks to offer this sort of thing free for all guests. Many of the complaints about FP+ can be solved by making it an onsite only perk, that will allow for greater day of, and 4th FP+. That is the suggestion I would make on the surveys where it part of the subject.

 

[JanaDee]

I was all set to despise FP+ based on the boards input and I found it absolutely much ado about nothing. I didn't even notice much of a difference to my usual trip. I read some complaining about how a poster used to be able to ride TSMM 16 times a day and now the best he/she can do is 6 and I find it very hard to muster the violins for stuff like that.

There are extremes on both ends...from someone that claimed they could ride TSMM 6 times in one day to those that are just happy to be in the parks and not ride anything.

 

[ParkHoppers]

I am of the opinion that the offsite guests while not getting first crack, should be happy they are still getting that, and not being made to wait til the day of, or just not having it available, or only available for an extra fee. After all, Disney is the last of the theme parks to offer this sort of thing free for all guests. Many of the complaints about FP+ can be solved by making it an onsite only perk, that will allow for greater day of, and 4th FP+. That is the suggestion I would make on the surveys where it part of the subject.

Though I wish Disney would let all its guest schedule at 60 days as a statement of appreciation to everyone for making Disney what it is today ( I stay onsite by the way) it can be hard to hear people get so mad at Disney and take their money to Universal where ONLY onsite guest get the benefits of a FP system. I find Universal to be all buisness and still find Disney to walk the line better.

 

[mom2rtk]

I was all set to despise FP+ based on the boards input and I found it absolutely much ado about nothing. I didn't even notice much of a difference to my usual trip. I read some complaining about how a poster used to be able to ride TSMM 16 times a day and now the best he/she can do is 6 and I find it very hard to muster the violins for stuff like that.

You know, I read a lot of these FP threads. And I have never seen anyone claim to ride TSMM 16 times. Come to think of it, I have never seen anyone claim to ride it 6 times.

 

[fbarker]

This would explain a lot. First timers are filling up the FP+ lines for rides like HM and POTC so the SB for these rides increases to 15-20 minutes. The headliner lines are a little shorter or about the same because FP+ spreads out the crowd and first-timers are relegated to the SB line if they allowed Disney to pick their FP's for them.
So the theory is that most first timers do little or no research, allow Disney to pick their FP's, and have a great vacation because they didn't know Figment was a walk on before FP+.

Just checked wait times ......Figment is listed as 5mins appears like a walk on to me

 

[cakebaker]

I was all set to despise FP+ based on the boards input and I found it absolutely much ado about nothing. I didn't even notice much of a difference to my usual trip. I read some complaining about how a poster used to be able to ride TSMM 16 times a day and now the best he/she can do is 6 and I find it very hard to muster the violins for stuff like that.

 

[flatlandcycle]

You know, I read a lot of these FP threads. And I have never seen anyone claim to ride TSMM 16 times. Come to think of it, I have never seen anyone claim to ride it 6 times.

Has anyone ridden TSMM 6 times without TSMM elbow?

 

[ParkHoppers]

You know, I read a lot of these FP threads. And I have never seen anyone claim to ride TSMM 16 times. Come to think of it, I have never seen anyone claim to ride it 6 times.

Yeah. 16 times doesn't sound right to me as well. Can,t see how that would be possible.

 

[mom2rtk]

Has anyone ridden TSMM 6 times without TSMM elbow?

I know what you're talking about and the most we've ever done it is twice in one day.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't think that anyone has actually claimed to ride TSMM several times now or in the past. I have seen some say that they might have ridden the thrill rides and maybe Star Tours several time during their stay but 16? Not hardly.

 

[Suvadoo]

I am of the opinion that the offsite guests while not getting first crack, should be happy they are still getting that, and not being made to wait til the day of, or just not having it available, or only available for an extra fee.

After all, Disney is the last of the theme parks to offer this sort of thing free for all guests. Many of the complaints about FP+ can be solved by making it an onsite only perk, that will allow for greater day of, and 4th FP+. That is the suggestion I would make on the surveys where it part of the subject.

I really don't buy into the idea that FP+ is "free". Just like checked bags are "free" on Southwest Airlines. The cost of FP+ is built into everyone's park admission. Also, off site guests who want Magic Bands are paying $12 a piece for them. So Disney is in a win win situation.