NEW for 2024 - Disney Dining Plans Returning, Exciting Park Reservation Updates, and More

[rmclain73]

If they will allow prebooking of G+ they are essentially locking you into a park reservation. There’s no need for both systems. Disney knows what they are doing.

We basically know where we are going each day but there were two times last trip that we switched up our park reservations the night before. Luckily the park had opening. In the past we wouldn’t have been able to do this with FP+ since I wouldn’t want to lose those hard to get rides.

I would prefer G+ stay the way it is and decide what park I want to go to that morning. We got way more bang out of G+ than we did FP+ since we booked FP+ for our PM park.

Whatever Disney decides I will roll with it when we decide to go again and figure out how to utilize it to get the most out of the system

You think availability day of is bad now. If they do what you suggest there would be next to nothing day of.

I agree! I hope they do not offer any pre-selections. I am just saying its an option Disney can go with if they are going to allow pre-selections. I am sure whatever they do will come with an added price.

 

[kylenne]

I agree! I hope they do not offer any pre-selections. I am just saying its an option Disney can go with if they are going to allow pre-selections. I am sure whatever they do will come with an added price.

There's precedent for it. I said it in the news thread but I highly suspect the prebooking is going to look more like the old CL FPs, just at a lower price point. Something like a limit of 3 per day at an additional cost.

 

[Jrb1979]

As an AP holder everything they just shared is of no value to me. May even be a detriment to me.

I also am questioning the ticket thing. They keep calling it "date based ticket" but I'm not sure they have defined what that means right now. Some date based tickets mean on that date you are choosing to go to this park. Lots of vague info being put out there by Disney. I'd rather no info than cryptic info, as folks will run with it in whatever direction they want.

I get many don't like reservations. I wasn't thrilled but made it work. Disney did it to move people into parks that were never crowded, allowing more tickets to be sold so all parks were full. $$ How is this going to help them? Are they going to actually close parks each day to move people? Worse PR than reservations. Or are we going to experience even more crowded parks? that won't turn out well.


DDP is HIGHLY profitable for Disney. Given the last few years guests have proven they will spend endlessly to go to Disney I wouldn't be surprised to see it become even more pricey.


Every one of these announcements are worthless to me, an AP holder. Are they back door punishing us? I honestly think much of their public bad PR comes from AP holders ~ this might make it worse. I agree the best option they could put out there is hopping earlier. I think noon is fair enough to get you to a nice meal, parade or VQ option.

It's unfortunate they treat the APs this way. My guess is they really didn't want to sell new ones yet but with bookings softer than expected they opened up sales. The fact they are still available tells me the unprecedented demand has ended. It's going to be a down year for travel.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

As an AP holder everything they just shared is of no value to me. May even be a detriment to me.

I also am questioning the ticket thing. They keep calling it "date based ticket" but I'm not sure they have defined what that means right now. Some date based tickets mean on that date you are choosing to go to this park. Lots of vague info being put out there by Disney. I'd rather no info than cryptic info, as folks will run with it in whatever direction they want.

I get many don't like reservations. I wasn't thrilled but made it work. Disney did it to move people into parks that were never crowded, allowing more tickets to be sold so all parks were full. $$ How is this going to help them? Are they going to actually close parks each day to move people? Worse PR than reservations. Or are we going to experience even more crowded parks? that won't turn out well.


DDP is HIGHLY profitable for Disney. Given the last few years guests have proven they will spend endlessly to go to Disney I wouldn't be surprised to see it become even more pricey.


Every one of these announcements are worthless to me, an AP holder. Are they back door punishing us? I honestly think much of their public bad PR comes from AP holders ~ this might make it worse. I agree the best option they could put out there is hopping earlier. I think noon is fair enough to get you to a nice meal, parade or VQ option.

Agree with the things you are saying, but waiting for a bit more info regarding how they'll be handling the APs. It might be similar to the blocked dates based on AP level - just requiring park reservations specifically during the busiest of days. If they'd make me get a park reservation, in advance (like I need to do now), 30 days out of the year (for example), I'm not going to be too concerned. If it's more like 90% of the days, then it doesn't make sense.

I do find some of the conversation funny, though. For months and months - have to bring back APs. They finally bring them back - "thank goodness". Now we have them back and it's - "hey, wait a minute!". The tone changes quickly, doesn't it?!

 

[Dulcee]

I'm withholding celebrating until details but Genie + and the VQ system was a fiasco for us on our last trip. DH swore off using it again as it was. We stayed off-property the last two years but are leaning towards on-property in 2024 (the return of "free" resort parking seemed to suggest a trend to us that Disney service was attempting a comeback) so I'm pleased that extended hours will continue as a resort perk or we may have just scrapped 2024 all together.

 

[fitnessmouse]

I hope it's the end of the 7.00am mad rush. Who the * thought of that?

 

[Jrb1979]

There's precedent for it. I said it in the news thread but I highly suspect the prebooking is going to look more like the old CL FPs, just at a lower price point. Something like a limit of 3 per day at an additional cost.

I don't think it will be that many. It would severely limit availability for those who purchase day of. Keep it to 1 per day for an additional cost. Personally I wish they would scrap it and go Express pass.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I wonder if the potential 'pre-purchase/pre-book' option for G+ will lead to a set price for the option? Or perhaps the pre-purchase will be a set price, and day-of will be crowd-based.

 

[snikki]

There's precedent for it. I said it in the news thread but I highly suspect the prebooking is going to look more like the old CL FPs, just at a lower price point. Something like a limit of 3 per day at an additional cost.

I wonder how prebooking will work with G+ variable pricing.

 

[HopperFan]

Agree with the things you are saying, but waiting for a bit more info regarding how they'll be handling the APs. It might be similar to the blocked dates based on AP level - just requiring park reservations specifically during the busiest of days. If they'd make me get a park reservation, in advance (like I need to do now), 30 days out of the year (for example), I'm not going to be too concerned. If it's more like 90% of the days, then it doesn't make sense.

I do find some of the conversation funny, though. For months and months - have to bring back APs. They finally bring them back - "thank goodness". Now we have them back and it's - "hey, wait a minute!". The tone changes quickly, doesn't it?!

Yes, most of what they shared likely brought more questions than answers, as we can see from all the different interpretations here. No sense in even bothering with this bait, I'll just wait for more information. Maybe they just dropped this bag of ---- to see how people react, then they'll come up with a plan.

I had to laugh at their "good to go days" ... do they think that is going to excite anyone? We already have bonus days ~ so did we just rename it? Again more questions.

SO glad I booked December because now I might be pushing out my January trip so I can see how all this plays out - do not want be a guinea pig.

 

[KV33]

I am sorry i am sure this was already discussed, but with all the responses I did not see the answer. Have there been any updates to Park Hopping now that Park Pass Res are going away for Resort stays with park tickets?

 

[Jrb1979]

Yes, most of what they shared likely brought more questions than answers, as we can see from all the different interpretations here. No sense in even bothering with this bait, I'll just wait for more information. Maybe they just dropped this bag of ---- to see how people react, then they'll come up with a plan.

I had to laugh at their "good to go days" ... do they think that is going to excite anyone? We already have bonus days ~ so did we just rename it? Again more questions.

SO glad I booked December because now I might be pushing out my January trip so I can see how all this plays out and not be a guinea pig.

It's all a ploy to get people interested in booking in January. It got people excited here and talking about booking next year. So far a lot of what they have done with discounts and this tells me the forecast for bookings into next year isn't looking very strong.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I am sorry i am sure this was already discussed, but with all the responses I did not see the answer. Have there been any updates to Park Hopping now that Park Pass Res are going away for Resort stays with park tickets?

I've not seen any mention of changes to park hopping restrictions since the minor changes they made for AP holders in April.

 

[snikki]

As for the DDP - I prefer paying OOP unless there’s free dining and that’s the better discount for us but it’s been years since we utilized FD. We’ve never paid for the package since it is cheaper to pay OOP.

I have been enjoying the food menus and dining availability now that the DDP is gone.

I know many people like the all inclusive feel of the DDP even if that means they will be paying more for the package and they are well aware of this.

 

[flowergirl45]

We Still have several non-expiring tickets. Will those tickets still require the use of park reservations? Thank you.

 

[fitnessmouse]

We Still have several non-expiring tickets. Will those tickets still require the use of park reservations? Thank you.

Those are not date-specific, so my guess is Yes.

 

[itf]

We were thinking of going back next summer but if G+ is even more of a fiasco that'll be it. We stay off site and presumably they'll give some perks to on-site guests that make it harder for us. We didn't like G+ but at least it was mostly a level playing field apart from the ILLs and we still managed to get Rise etc...

We were planning on staying at the Waldorf so will see if it gets any perks I guess.

 

[sponica]

I am sorry i am sure this was already discussed, but with all the responses I did not see the answer. Have there been any updates to Park Hopping now that Park Pass Res are going away for Resort stays with park tickets?

No, I think it's still being described as available after 2. On the upside, since reservations aren't needed you won't have to "tap into your first park" to enter a park after 2. But yeah, I'd prefer the park hopping times shift.

 

[Lehuaann]

We Still have several non-expiring tickets. Will those tickets still require the use of park reservations? Thank you.

According to DPB, yes.

For reference, date-based tickets are the standard ticket option we offer to guests. For other admission types, including non-dated tickets, theme park reservations may be required to help us continue managing attendance and delivering a great experience for everyone.

 

[xipotec]

As for the DDP - I prefer paying OOP unless there’s free dining and that’s the better discount for us but it’s been years since we utilized FD. We’ve never paid for the package since it is cheaper to pay OOP.

I have been enjoying the food menus and dining availability now that the DDP is gone.

I know many people like the all inclusive feel of the DDP even if that means they will be paying more for the package and they are well aware of this.

We just find its way too much food and way too much time waiting to be seated, sitting eating and paying? We would spend easily an hour or more each sit down....then getting reasonable ADR's on top of that??

With young kids it worked well for time to decompress and get out of the sun. But now that we are older family, its just not worth it, and I doubt we will see free dining ever again