My Un-magical FP+ Experience...

[Angel Ariel]

I really don't get the no planning attitude.

When I first joined these boards years ago, I was just amazed at the amount of planning people did. The really dedicated Disney goers - well honestly, I thought they were a little crazy- spread sheets and diagrams, maps to the best locations to do everything- details that I would've never thought of planning out.

Some huge fights were had over what you could and couldn't cook in your room, stroller swaps organized, hidden packages at the WL people hunted for- fridge swaps- it went on and on.

Now all of a sudden, planning has become evil. All with the onset of fp+.

WDW has been for many years a very labor intensive, heavy planning vacation. It's 4 parks and 2 water parks and everyone wants to do everything while they're there. It takes planning.

Honestly, I don't get it. I understand not liking being able to ride back to back, collect multiple passes at one time etc...but the talk about planning as though it was the devil incarnate, I do not understand at all.

Honestly, I don't think *planning* in general is the issue here. I think it's the new *level* of planning that FP+ brings in. I know that s what it is for me, and my family..and the friends I'm planning for too.

Even if you take a look Shaden's post, the friend he was talking to was fine with the level of planning of which park/day and ADRs. It wasn't until he got to the FP+ stuff that his friend backed off and said they weren't going.

I would say the same about my friends that I'm planning for. If it were just which park/day and ADRs, I would have given my friend some advice and some links and that would have been that. She's tech savvy, she'd already done some research on her own..it was FP+ that overwhelmed her. FP+ is entirely the reason I am doing the planning for her.

As for myself, I always loved planning Disney vacations..that's why I've always gone out of. my way to help others plan theirs. I love spreadsheets, and planning ADRs. So it certainly can't be said that I hate planning by any stretch.

I did NOT like, however, planning down to the level of what ride/what time. I feel like I'm deciding everything before we get there. In the past, what direction to go when we entered a park was decided when we arrived..we didn't use the ready-to-go touring plans at all. We'd see the conditions in the park (actual crowds/waits), and go with the flow from there.

FP+, at this point in the process, feels like completely the opposite. I can appreciate that others have experienced a ton of flexibility with the system, and I hope we experience the same in the park. But it took way more planning effort to coordinate what rides we wanted FP+ for than just planning park/day and ADRs ever did. Regardless of what we end up thinking about FP+ in the park, the level of detail you now have to go into during planning is just not fun.

I feel like some don't feel there's a huge difference between planning park/day and ADRs and then adding FP+ in the mix. I'm sure that's their true feelings. But for some of us, that's just a level of detail we don't like to go to so far before our trip. Certainly that should be understandable.

 

[DisUniversal]

It really surprises and saddens me that so many people who have made several, if not dozens of, trips to WDW are apparently proud of themselves for talking other families out of going just once.

I feel sorry for those children who have been deprived of the opportunity to experience for themselves the thrill of that first sight of the castle and the characters because someone convinced their parents that going to WDW requires too much planning.

Maybe some of the frequent visitors should consider that one of the reasons the magic is gone for them is that they have visited so often.

Nobody is being deprived of the thrill of seeing the castle for the first time...

 

[itchin2go]

Missing FPs now punishes you, quite severely.

Lines are longer, much longer for many rides. More people using more FPs means using FPs is more important than ever.

If you don't your waiting time goes up substantially.

Well, I get that for sure. If you don't book or use FP, then I think your wait times for your NOW vacation will definitely look bad compared to your THEN vacation. And I can see it making a Disney World vacation less attractive for some.

However, if you've already booked the vacation, why would you balk at making SOME FP reservations, whether you're going to use them or not? I guess that was my point.

 

[mom2rtk]

I really don't get the no planning attitude.

When I first joined these boards years ago, I was just amazed at the amount of planning people did. The really dedicated Disney goers - well honestly, I thought they were a little crazy- spread sheets and diagrams, maps to the best locations to do everything- details that I would've never thought of planning out.

Some huge fights were had over what you could and couldn't cook in your room, stroller swaps organized, hidden packages at the WL people hunted for- fridge swaps- it went on and on.

Now all of a sudden, planning has become evil. All with the onset of fp+.

WDW has been for many years a very labor intensive, heavy planning vacation. It's 4 parks and 2 water parks and everyone wants to do everything while they're there. It takes planning.

Honestly, I don't get it. I understand not liking being able to ride back to back, collect multiple passes at one time etc...but the talk about planning as though it was the devil incarnate, I do not understand at all.

The people who don't like FP+ are not necessarily the same people who made planning binders.

I liked planning, but with an open mind. I researched, but I always preferred to keep as many options open as possible. I don't mind making ADRs 180 days out but want no part of committing to certain rides at certain times 60 days out.

 

[itchin2go]

In the past, what direction to go when we entered a park was decided when we arrived..we didn't use the ready-to-go touring plans at all. We'd see the conditions in the park (actual crowds/waits), and go with the flow from there.

I get this too. I would always know where we were going first, maybe 2nd, but after that, we would play it by ear ....

Except for this: we would be watching our return time for whatever FP we had.

So, I still feel like there is room for spontaneity ... just in between those 3 blocked out time slots (potentially 6 if you had 3 ADRs in a day) ....

To be clear, I don't think FP+ is an improvement over FP-, for my family at least (this from everything I've read, and the fact that the old system wasn't broken (for me), and the fact that I felt comfortable with it). However, maybe the new system improved things for the average traveler, and maybe that was the point.

My qualms about the new system don't have to do with the extra planning, though. In the planning stages anyway, it didn't feel that restrictive to me. But this is a personal threshold kind of thing.

My main gripe about the new system is the increase in standby wait times. And I really worry about the impact of that on my upcoming trip.

 

[f19810]

So far we have lucked out with the FP+. Now I don't have to get up with the chickens to get to EPCOT to score a FP for Soarin'. Same thing with HS and TSM. We'll see how the wait times for the rides we don't have FPs for work out. We didn't have any problems the last two trips. We'll see.
Nancy

Now I have to stay up till midnight to get the fp+ and times that I want and then get up with the chickens to get to work so that I can pay for the vacation.

 

[cakebaker]

Nobody is being deprived of the thrill of seeing the castle for the first time...

That may be a castle, but it's not THE castle and never will be. Not for me.

Even if Disney does something that makes me never return (and yes, that could happen, I've been close a couple of times) THE castle will always be THE castle.

 

[cakebaker]

Now I have to stay up till midnight to get the fp+ and times that I want and then get up with the chickens to get to work so that I can pay for the vacation.

But do you see that her inconvenience is just as important as yours? Disney will never make everyone happy. I'm convinced they're doing what will bring make more guests come to their parks. Maybe they're wrong, but they certainly don't think so and only time will tell. Right now, it certainly isn't hurting them. If Disney suffers from anything, it's from being too popular.

 

[mom2rtk]

My qualms about the new system don't have to do with the extra planning, though. In the planning stages anyway, it didn't feel that restrictive to me. But this is a personal threshold kind of thing.

My main gripe about the new system is the increase in standby wait times. And I really worry about the impact of that on my upcoming trip.

Not to worry, there's plenty to dislike about the system.

 

[cakebaker]

The people who don't like FP+ are not necessarily the same people who made planning binders.

I liked planning, but with an open mind. I researched, but I always preferred to keep as many options open as possible. I don't mind making ADRs 180 days out but want no part of committing to certain rides at certain times 60 days out.

But the vast majority of dis'ers were binder type planners- maybe that's changed since years ago, but while I can't remember my own old ID, I still recognize some of the names I knew back then.

 

[DisUniversal]

I really don't get the no planning attitude.

I really don't get the planning attitude. Seriously, when I decide to take a vacation, I don't want to have to spend time making sure I get up at exactly midnight 180 days out or 60 days out and then set myself for disappointment before the vacation even starts when I don't get exactly what I wanted. When I'm on vacation, I don't want to have to follow a schedule for every meal and now a large percentage of the attractions I want to experience and heaven forbid, weather, a sick child or other unforeseen circumstances disrupts a well laid out plan, I don't want to have more stress piled on because my plans have to change. Heck, factor in the planning, the following of schedules in the parks, "commuting" on buses/monorails to the parks, etc... and it certainly feels more like work than a vacation.

That may be a castle, but it's not THE castle and never will be. Not for me.

Even if Disney does something that makes me never return (and yes, that could happen, I've been close a couple of times) THE castle will always be THE castle.

To be honest I would tend to agree, which is why when I recommend a Universal vacation, I always suggest that they take a day to go visit the Magic Kingdom...especially if they have children who have never been. Don't feel bad if kids miss seeing Epcot, DHS or AK...as there's really not much to miss there...in my opinion.

 

[mom2rtk]

But the vast majority of dis'ers were binder type planners- maybe that's changed since years ago, but while I can't remember my own old ID, I still recognize some of the names I knew back then.

Oh please. There you go with those sweeping generalities again.

 

[cakebaker]

Oh please. There you go with those sweeping generalities again.

Oh please- and there you go nit picking the words of a poster who doesn't agree with you about the issues of fp+.

A sweeping generality would be - ALL dis'ers- Vast majority, imo , is not a sweeping generality. It is however, imo, true.

 

[cakebaker]

I really don't get the planning attitude. Seriously, when I decide to take a vacation, I don't want to have to spend time making sure I get up at exactly midnight 180 days out or 60 days out and then set myself for disappointment before the vacation even starts when I don't get exactly what I wanted. When I'm on vacation, I don't want to have to follow a schedule for every meal and now a large percentage of the attractions I want to experience and heaven forbid, weather, a sick child or other unforeseen circumstances disrupts a well laid out plan, I don't want to have more stress piled on because my plans have to change. Heck, factor in the planning, the following of schedules in the parks, "commuting" on buses/monorails to the parks, etc... and it certainly feels more like work than a vacation.


To be honest I would tend to agree, which is why when I recommend a Universal vacation, I always suggest that they take a day to go visit the Magic Kingdom...especially if they have children who have never been. Don't feel bad if kids miss seeing Epcot, DHS or AK...as there's really not much to miss there...in my opinion.

And that I can understand- you don't like ANY planning really. It makes sense you wouldn't like the planning required for FP+.

 

[Angel Ariel]

But the vast majority of dis'ers were binder type planners- maybe that's changed since years ago, but while I can't remember my own old ID, I still recognize some of the names I knew back then.

Being a binder planner doesn't necessarily mean someone followed detailed touring plans, though.

I did the binder thing. I've streamlined a bit since then but I still have a folder . But we have never done touring plans. Never. I suggested it to DH once on our anniversary trip in 2007, and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. We've always decided what rides/entertainment to do once we were in the park, never before.

So while I get that FP+ isn't a huge change to others, it is quite a significant change for us. It's not that we're anti-planning, just anti that level of planning. Enjoying planning isn't an all or nothing thing.

 

[cakebaker]

Being a binder planner doesn't necessarily mean someone followed detailed touring plans, though.

I did the binder thing. I've streamlined a bit since then but I still have a folder . But we have never done touring plans. Never. I suggested it to DH once on our anniversary trip in 2007, and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. We've always decided what rides/entertainment to do once we were in the park, never before.

So while I get that FP+ isn't a huge change to others, it is quite a significant change for us. It's not that we're anti-planning, just anti that level of planning. Enjoying planning isn't an all or nothing thing.

So it's the having to follow a plan for 3 rides in advance that you don't like, correct?

I get it, I don't see it as huge deal, but you obviously do. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that if that is one's only problem with fp+, it seems to not be that big a deal. Pile it on top of other objections and it means more.

There are people that post here tho, that says it's just the planning- that's their main issue- that I still don't get.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh please- and there you go nit picking the words of a poster who doesn't agree with you about the issues of fp+.

A sweeping generality would be - ALL dis'ers- Vast majority, imo , is not a sweeping generality. It is however, imo, true.

So you took a poll and know that it was the vast majority of all DIS members? If you didn't, then how did you come to the conclusion it was the vast majority?

 

[flicx]

Oh please. There you go with those sweeping generalities again.

Careful mom there has been rumors of the rebirth of a certain poster who used to go by plutomars!

 

[mom2rtk]

Careful mom there has been rumors of the rebirth of a certain poster who used to go by plutomars!

I thought his head exploded after reading the throwaway room thread! Maybe I'll throw out the word "hyperbole" and see if he shows up.

 

[flicx]

I thought his head exploded after reading the throwaway room thread! Maybe I'll throw out the word "hyperbole" and see if he shows up.

I'm not sure if that will do it, just don't say the name three times in a row though!