NextGen/xPass Making the News Again

[mom2rtk]

And... CAN they even do that?

I find it hard to think that they can. Which to me is an interesting piece of this puzzle.

If I order a package with X number of reservations, and use one for TT, only to find out a month before my trip that it's closing, but that all the Soarin reservations are long gone, I'm not gonna be a happy camper.

 

[Robo]

I find it hard to think that they can. Which to me is an interesting piece of this puzzle.

If I order a package with X number of reservations, and use one for TT, only to find out a month before my trip that it's closing, but that all the Soarin reservations are long gone, I'm not gonna be a happy camper.

Abso-blumin'-LUTELY!

 

[SaraJayne]

Yes. Something similar to this.

For instance, (as an WAG example) if you wanted to secure an advance FP for Test Track, you would not be able to reserve a FP for Soarin' on the same day.

Maybe... Maybe not.
But, there would have to be some kind of limit on the quantity of desirable FP's a guest could reserve due to the shear
overwhelming NUMBER of guests heading to a particular park on a given day.

AND- AND- AND-
Unlike now, guests would have upwards of 6 months to pick and choose.
And, as time progresses, would there be "cancelations of FP reservations" ala ADR's (surely there would have to be,) and constant
discussions of "do you think I might be able to get a FP if I just wait for a cancellation?" and,
could groups of 6, 8, 10 (or Grand Gatherings of 12-25...) be able to get "matching-time" FP's so the group
could all ride together?

What about the famous foreign tour groups?

Nightmare of complexity.

Or, maybe the whole thing would just collapse under its own weight.


.

Good lord, let's hope so. One of the worst ideas to come out to date.

 

[Jennasis]

NextGen is the New Coke of Disney.

 

[PoohsFan1]

To me this sounds more like a headache for the guests. So I want to go on vacation and have fun BUT i will have to go online months in advance and try to figure out what rides I will be riding at what times. Sounds to me like I would rather sit on a beach and watch the waves. Too stressful for me. We have been visiting disney every year at least once for over 15 years. to me this new plan sounds like a turn off for people who want to go with the flow.

Yep, that is basically what I said too . We used to be commandos when we first started going to Disney, but now that we are DVC members and go once, if not twice a year for extended periods of time, we like to meander around the parks and do whatever we want with no specific plans. The only planning we really do for a Disney vacation these days are which parks we are going to on which days and making ADRs because we like to eat at some of top priority restaurants. Don't get me wrong, the concept sounds great and very futuristic but I too think in the end it will be a huge headache to those trying to plan a vacation.

 

[SaraJayne]

NextGen and Avatarland are the New Coke of Disney.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[Lisa71]

I am sure they will still have a stand by line so you can ride a zillion times when you fall in love with a ride, or when your child chickens out last minute during your reserved time. If not, it will go the way of New Coke!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I am new here, so Mabye I don't fully understand the rules, but how is discussing news personalities political at all? I wasn't speaking to anyone's politics just to the tendency of ALL media outlets to report only what helps their ratings. I really wasn't trying to make it political. Sorry if I broke the rules!

I wasn't targeting your post, but there are many people who hold opinions about Fox News that are colored by their political beliefs. And it's not unusual for things to go downhill if the people start debating the merits of Fox News rather than sticking to debating the content of the article. I felt a gentle reminder to keep things on topic was appropriate to keep things from taking that route. Sorry if you felt singled out. I didn't intend that and purposefully didn't quote a specific post because I didn't want to single anyone out.

 

[mcd2745]

Did you guys read the part about ORDERING YOUR FOOD IN ADVANCE!!

Seriously, its hard enough to get my two year old not to change his mind about what he wants to eat between the time that I order and we sit down at the table. Am I honestly going to have to put my Pecos Bill order in 6 months prior to my trip! Shoot me now!

Hopefully, the food ordering part will just be something you can do from an iPad or smart phone. Near the front of the line for Splash (or using your FP that you reserved 6 months ago )? You can enter your Pecos Bill order on your device, and when you get there in 15 minutes or whatever, it's ready.

Actually, I hope that the booking window for FPs (assuming it is even how we are speculating it will work) will only be a couple of weeks in advance and is not 6 months like ADRs. I've said it many times...180 days is ludicrous for ADRs - and would be even worse for FPs.

 

[SaraJayne]

Hopefully, the food ordering part will just be something you can do from an iPad or smart phone. Near the front of the line for Splash (or using your FP that you reserved 6 months ago )? You can enter your Pecos Bill order on your device, and when you get there in 15 minutes or whatever, it's ready.

Actually, I hope that the booking window for FPs (assuming it is even how we are speculating it will work) will only be a couple of weeks in advance and is not 6 months like ADRs. I've said it many times...180 days is ludicrous for ADRs - and would be even worse for FPs.

How exactly will WDW accommodate those that don't have iPads or smartphones?

 

[Minniemom97]

I'm glad I'm not the only one not liking this idea.

 

[mom2rtk]

Fixed it for ya.

Here's hoping!

I am sure they will still have a stand by line so you can ride a zillion times when you fall in love with a ride, or when your child chickens out last minute during your reserved time. If not, it will go the way of New Coke!

But the more ride slots they assign to the fastpass system, the longer that standby line is going to be.

Hopefully, the food ordering part will just be something you can do from an iPad or smart phone. Near the front of the line for Splash (or using your FP that you reserved 6 months ago )? You can enter your Pecos Bill order on your device, and when you get there in 15 minutes or whatever, it's ready.

Actually, I hope that the booking window for FPs (assuming it is even how we are speculating it will work) will only be a couple of weeks in advance and is not 6 months like ADRs. I've said it many times...180 days is ludicrous for ADRs - and would be even worse for FPs.

Yeah, I figured it would have to be a shorter booking window. But the shorter it is, the more likely it will be a feeding frenzy or too many people going after too few slots. Good thing Disney has such a reliable IT system to handle all of that.

Remember the good ole days of synchronizing clocks with the naval observatory to get an ADR at CRT? That's what I'm envisioning.

 

[mcd2745]

How exactly will WDW accommodate those that don't have iPads or smartphones?

Those neanderthals would just have to do it the ol-fashioned way.

 

[ironpig70]

Not a veteran of WDW but did it once for 4 days and have done DL lots of times. With that said I do not seeing this work but for a select few. Many people do not understand Disney to start with. Things like Fastpass, ADR's, EMH you know I mean as we have seen this.


What I see happening is rides being booked either on opposite ends of the park or differnt parks. Essentially making it so the space is reserved and the people are a no show.

The other issue I see is the whole booking a time in advanced. Yeah I like to plan as much as the next guy but knowing I have to do Splash at 10, Space at 1030, BTMRR at 11 is just to rigid for me.

My last point is for the folks who say "if you don't like it then don't use it" I understand your point but this program we take FP's from the general public.

 

[mbrittb00]

Just found this article discussing NextGen and xPass. Mostly familiar sources repeating familiar theories, but the words "free service" stood out to me. Take it as you will.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/04/18/whole-new-world-for-whole-new-disney/?intcmp=features

I'm sure it will only be a free service for those staying onsite. Which is a near financial impossibility for our family.

I wonder how will they keep people from making reservations at the various rides and then not cancelling them if their plans change? Will it make the rides as difficult to do as trying to get seating at a sit-down restaurant?

Maybe they can charge $10 per no-show like they do for the ADRs.

 

[ssleblanc]

What I would find much more interesting is to see banks of Fastpass machines in each section of the park where you could see FP return times for each FP attraction through out the park. You select which attraction you want a FP for, and get it right there.

Find yourself in Frontierland and finishing up the attractions in that area before having lunch? Hit the FP machines to see if there is a reasonable return time for Space Mountain. If so, run your ticket through and grab a fast pass that you can use in a hour and a half. Hit Splash Mountain once more, grab lunch at Pecos Bill, and then head to Tomorrowland to use your FP.

That would help reduce the park criss-crossing that must be done now with the enforced return times.

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm sure it will only be a free service for those staying onsite. Which is a near financial impossibility for our family

You can't know that. Possible? Absolutely. Probable? Maybe. I am withholding judgment until we know the details.

 

[StilAPrincessAtHeart]

Am I the only one who cringed at the word "wristband?" lol. I hate those things and would not want to wear one for nine days. Not to mention they scream "county fair" and that is not what I want to feel like on a vacation that I just spent $1000s on. Even if it was something that could be taken off and on, then I'd be afraid of loosing it (and it's connected to my info and credit cards?) No thanks.

 

[si-am]

How exactly will WDW accommodate those that don't have iPads or smartphones?

iPads still need wi-fi, right? As far as I know, Disney parks don't have wi-fi so only those with smartphones/data plans would be able to do it. That lets me out! I hate the idea anyway.

Am I the only one who cringed at the word "wristband?" lol. I hate those things and would not want to wear one for nine days. Not to mention they scream "county fair" and that is not what I want to feel like on a vacation that I just spent $1000s on. Even if it was something that could be taken off and on, then I'd be afraid of loosing it (and it's connected to my info and credit cards?) No thanks.

Agree. Totally. Hate hate hate.

 

[Reddog1134]

iPads still need wi-fi, right? As far as I know, Disney parks don't have wi-fi so only those with smartphones/data plans would be able to do it. That lets me out! I hate the idea anyway.

All Ipads are Wi-fi. Some are also 3G enabled.