My Un-magical FP+ Experience...

[Jennygt]

It isn't so much the team/developers who needed to tour the park, it's the "suits" or executives who approved and signed off on these changes. They didn't visit the parks and try to experience what it would really be like for the average visiting family.

It's one thing to sit in a committee and convince yourself and the other nodders and yes-men that the pain of being restricted to only 1 headliner attraction per day would be totally offset by the hugely fantastic advantage of being able to plan your rides 60 days in advance. But suppose as an entirely simulated exercise you took one of these high-paid execs and made him (or her) actually sit down and book their family vacation for a busy time of year and decide exactly which 3 or 4 rides, in what order, at what time, on exactly what days they would like to experience. And if they didn't do it at midnight on the 60th day, a flunky should have told them, "Ah, ok boss, but under the new system you probably won't get on the latest attractions ... and, um, by the way ... you probably won't get on both Soarin' and Test Track unless you ride on Figment and watch Captain EO first."

Then the flunky could have followed the exec around the park on their simulated touring day and told them, "Um, yeah there's always the standby queue for Test Track but, uh, you see, uh, 90% of the seats are reserved for people who booked it at the 60 day window so in order for our test to be realistic, you'll have to stand here for 80 minutes then we can ride it."

Without spending a dime on the new system, other than writing the functional specifications describing the behavior of the system and outlining the required user inputs, Mr. or Ms. Exec could have absolutely figured out how guests would experience the changes and which brilliant ideas were actually smart and which ones are completely dumb.

But Nooooooooo!!!!! They didn't do that. Too bad. But hey, that's what golden parachutes are for!!!

I cant imagie anyone actualy tried this out

 

[Planogirl]

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

Seriously?

 

[Planogirl]

Did you take a poll to know that it's a significant portion?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I don't know, I think there was a significant number that didn't like fp- especially when you read about how few actually used it- what was that number I read- 30%? 50%?. There was probably a significant number that didn't like the long lines that came from no system for rides.

The question I suppose is how big is that number and will it increase over time or will people adjust to the system and learn to work with it as best they can.

Nobody knows the answer to that.

Not using something doesn't necessarily mean that they dislike it. I suspect that many were clueless about it which is so strange.

I liked legacy but didn't use it that much and because of how we toured we never stockpiled them. My favorite rides are mostly middle tier and it bothers me to see how much longer the lines have become for them. I have monitored wait times for many years and it used to be that we could ride our favorites without thinking about it too much and we certainly rarely waited in long lines. So much has changed unfortunately.

 

[cakebaker]

I haven't read all of the posts, but I'll chime in that we just returned yesterday from WDW and had a fabulous time despite the insane crowds. We heard numerous people commenting that October has NEVER been like this. With the exception of a Tuesday at MK, the parks were packed by 11am. So I was thankful we had afternoon FP+ planned out because under the old FP system, we would have been out of luck. We hit rides at RD and had FP+ for afternoon/evening and it worked out even better than expected. With a party of 8, it was a pain to get some of the FP, and we didn't use them all (some people preferred resort time), but it was nice to know where we were going to be and when. I'll admit, I am a planner and enjoyed the planning part, and if that wasn't the case, I'm sure I would have been frustrated going into the trip. Obviously, based on the crowds the last couple of weeks, FP+ isn't irritating enough people that they are opting out of WDW vacations!!

Glad you had a great trip- I'm beginning to think there is no slow time anymore.

Crowds will tell the tale, won't they? The parks are packed during times that are normally very slow- I know on our trip in late September, WDW was packed yet at Universal, it was as empty as I imagine it ever could be and still be open. Just from that experience it tells me that so far, WDW is doing quite well despite all the construction, time of year and the implementation of FP+.

Will it continue? I dunno, let me get my crystal ball.

 

[cakebaker]

Seriously?

If we're talking about me, relax. I'm not him. My change of ID has absolutely nothing to do with the Dis boards. I wasn't banned, chased off or any other mysterious reason. If I can't remember my own ID, I seriously doubt anyone would remember me from the old days- it's been a long time. Some day the name will come to me and I'll sign in and say hi tho! Don't expect it, it's been a year and I haven't figured it out yet. Who knows what I was thinking when I came up with the original name. Obviously it had no significant meaning- or I'm losing my mind- it's a toss up as to which is to blame.

Just wanted to ease your mind- I am not this infamous poster they speak of. I may not know who I was, but I know who I wasn't.

 

[flicx]

Seriously?

The similarities are scary!

 

[cakebaker]

The similarities are scary!

It's kind of nice when it takes so little to entertain you.

 

[famy27]

It isn't so much the team/developers who needed to tour the park, it's the "suits" or executives who approved and signed off on these changes. They didn't visit the parks and try to experience what it would really be like for the average visiting family.

It's one thing to sit in a committee and convince yourself and the other nodders and yes-men that the pain of being restricted to only 1 headliner attraction per day would be totally offset by the hugely fantastic advantage of being able to plan your rides 60 days in advance. But suppose as an entirely simulated exercise you took one of these high-paid execs and made him (or her) actually sit down and book their family vacation for a busy time of year and decide exactly which 3 or 4 rides, in what order, at what time, on exactly what days they would like to experience. And if they didn't do it at midnight on the 60th day, a flunky should have told them, "Ah, ok boss, but under the new system you probably won't get on the latest attractions ... and, um, by the way ... you probably won't get on both Soarin' and Test Track unless you ride on Figment and watch Captain EO first."

Then the flunky could have followed the exec around the park on their simulated touring day and told them, "Um, yeah there's always the standby queue for Test Track but, uh, you see, uh, 90% of the seats are reserved for people who booked it at the 60 day window so in order for our test to be realistic, you'll have to stand here for 80 minutes then we can ride it."

Without spending a dime on the new system, other than writing the functional specifications describing the behavior of the system and outlining the required user inputs, Mr. or Ms. Exec could have absolutely figured out how guests would experience the changes and which brilliant ideas were actually smart and which ones are completely dumb.

But Nooooooooo!!!!! They didn't do that. Too bad. But hey, that's what golden parachutes are for!!!

The thing is, even if they did test it out, it was never a valid test. I tried FP+ for the first time in October 2013, and I really liked it. The system I tried was prior to the tiers, with only resort guests using the system, pre-A&E and SDMT, and with paper FPs still available. What's not to love? I could get to EP on arrival day and ride Soarin' and TT back to back at 7:00 pm. No way I could have done that with legacy. I was able to ride everything I used to, plus it was so flexible and easy to move FPs around. I changed parks the morning of a visit and was still able to get everything I wanted. I didn't even really need to pull paper FPs. I could sleep in and ride TSMM, ToT, and RNRC. You could plan at 60 days out if you wanted to, but you certainly didn't need to. Every ride in the park was available in the morning, so you could start each day with a blank slate. If the execs had tested that system, I am sure they were high-fiving each other about how awesome it was.

Fast forward to where we are today. With everyone on board, flexibility is decreased significantly. The tiers make it impossible to do my HS and EP scenarios from Oct 2013. The arrival of a few new hot attractions has meant that people do need to be up at midnight 60 days out to plan their MK days (and possibly even HS, as TSMM has been increasingly tough to get). Factor in that additional FPs (the only improvement to the system since it began) still need to be obtained at kiosks, prebooking at multiple parks still isn't allowed, and random FP-only tests, and I suspect the same execs might walk away with a different opinion if they visited today. I keep hoping that someone will see the light and make some improvements, but I just don't know if/when it will happen.

 

[jahber]

I love this thread. I love this thread so much.

Me too. Way too much.

 

[Planogirl]

It's kind of nice when it takes so little to entertain you.

Right now I feel entertained by both of you.

 

[cakebaker]

Right now I feel entertained by both of you.

Well at least I serve some purpose in life- makes it worth living.

 

[Planogirl]

Well at least I serve some purpose in life- makes it worth living.

We all need purpose. Mine seems to be to whine about Norway.

 

[Belle0101]

Not using something doesn't necessarily mean that they dislike it. I suspect that many were clueless about it which is so strange.

I liked legacy but didn't use it that much and because of how we toured we never stockpiled them. My favorite rides are mostly middle tier and it bothers me to see how much longer the lines have become for them. I have monitored wait times for many years and it used to be that we could ride our favorites without thinking about it too much and we certainly rarely waited in long lines. So much has changed unfortunately.

And that would be my cousin, her husband and 2 daughters. They went in June of 2012 (maybe 2011, I could have the year wrong but not the month) for what was supposed to be a 5 day vacation. They left early on day 3. They didn't just leave the parks early, they packed up and came home.

I asked them why and while a small part was the weather, a larger part was that "the lines were so long we never got to ride anything." She used TSMM as an example. When they got to it the posted wait was 120 minutes. I asked her if they tried to get a (Legacy) FP and she didn't even know what I was talking about.

 

[cakebaker]

We all need purpose. Mine seem to be to whine about Norway.

If you won't tell anyone---shhhh--- I'm a little afraid of what they're going to do too.

 

[Laura's Dad]

I do understand that "newbies" might like the "new/improved"(??) FP+ system..since we know: you dont miss what you never had!!


I just returned from 12 days of the WORST, UNMAGICAL WDW TRIP I'VE EVER HAD!!!
The FAST PASS + SYSTEM.....ABSOLUTELY STINKS !!!!!

For 43 YRS.., "EVERY YEAR", we have been to WDW.,
riding ALL the rides (E ticket/Tier 1) we wanted, starting at Adventure Land and going around finishing at Tomorrow Land, (the suggested route because of the lay of the land..high to low) ALL morning then finishing by early afternoon, then relaxing at the pool in the afternoon...out at night.
CAN'T DO THAT NOW!!!!

I AM ON VACATION and YOU want me to plan 60 days out .....3 attractions & where I will be for 1 hour on a certain day????????

AND ......I CAN'T pick ALL the rides I want??? ...YOU PICK 2 RIDES????? RIDICULOUS !!!!!! AND..... hope they don't conflict with my lunch/dinner ressies.

Disney TELLS me what 2 rides I can do or swap around...then has me running
through the park...from 1 END to another END to arrive at a FP ressie????. OH...change your FP+ while in the parks...NOT for TIER 1 rides!!

I have blown off most 2nd/3rd selections...so...How many
guests, with children, COULD NOT get those times because they were reserved for my party???? Forget about having the kids/family rest in the afternoon.

Why would I now get a "Park Hopper"...I'm spending 3/4 of a day in 1 park???
Went to Fantasmic & the stand-by line was out in the street & when they entered..only the "far left" section was available for seating.
If I choose "Fantasmic" as a FP+......I can't get anything I want ALL DAY (NOW..Tier 1--HA-HA!!) ???

What idiot designed this system???? Have them call me !!!!!
Oh yes..."Balance out the rides"....ABSURD !!!!
Balance this: At the end of the day..The same # of people are on each ride, each day..and if some rides have low attendance maybe a re-hab is in order rather than PUNISHING the guests!!

MY WISH...
I want the team/developer of the "new & improved"(HA-HA) FP+ to:

"Bring his/her family to WDW", use FP+ like the common folk.....then tell me how wonderful it was...dragging kids back & forth through the parks from 1 end to the other....and ...take note of ALL the rides he/she and family DIDN'T GET ON!!!!!!!!

Why would I think that Disney would ask the "Dedicated Disney Veterans" what works...BEFORE this horrendous system was implemented. OK...Keep the new method..but...let people "spontaneously" choose rides like the old paper system!!

AGAIN....HELLO....I AM ON V V A A C C A A T T I I O O N N ????

IT IS "EASIER for me to PLAN & SCHEDULE a CORPORATE CONVENTION" for 300+ people than to SPEND HOURS on a DISNEY SITE PLANNING A "VACATION" WITH THE CURRENT FP+ SYSTEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY PROJECTION;
The next step is to "PAY" for extra FP's or something similar.

Sorry Walt....The "Magic" is dead !!!!:faint

I have a simple solution to your problem. Just don't go back.

 

[Planogirl]

If you won't tell anyone---shhhh--- I'm a little afraid of what they're going to do too.

I'll never tell. However if they do what I think they'll do, everyone on these forums will be able to hear me howling all the way from Texas. The camel has a broken back right now but it's repairable. If they go too far I'll just throw the camel at them and follow the suggestion that Laura's Dad's made in the previous post.

 

[itchin2go]

I have a simple solution to your problem. Just don't go back.

Awww, that's not helpful. Can't people complain a little?

 

[Planogirl]

I have a simple solution to your problem. Just don't go back.

It's not that easy. Most here love the parks but some are saddened and worried about many of the changes. You don't feel the same and that's fine but just not going back takes some time to get used to.

 

[Laura's Dad]

I have been many times and will continue to go back. Changes are not the problem. Supply and demand are.

 

[famy27]

It's not that easy. Most here love the parks but some are saddened and worried about many of the changes. You don't feel the same and that's fine but just not going back takes some time to get used to.

I wonder how many posters employ the "just don't go back" theory in their daily lives. If your favorite restaurant stops offering an item you love or if the service slips a bit, do you never return? Personally, I'd either e-mail or call the restaurant to tell them about my experience. I might even share it on social media. Maybe a post like, "Was anyone else super-sad when they took the gnocchi off the menu at XYZ?"

I've been displeased with FP+ for several reasons. I've now written to Disney twice about my concerns and received follow-up calls both times. I also post about it on social media (and I'll include the DIS in that). I don't want to stop going to Disney. I love Disney World. I'd rather Disney fix what I see are problems.