Non-resort guests can not reserve FP+ early

[FireDancer]

snipped

I have a vacation planned for July at WDW. I have a 3000 sq ft house reserved for 10 days at $100/nite in Clermont. I will try to work with whatever scraps the Disney Corporation decides to toss me. With the present FP+ system, there is a significant risk that the Disney Parks will never get another dollar from me, because of line waiting times and perceived elitism.

Smart business decision? Hardly.

Elitism? Just going to Walt Disney World makes you elite. The vast majority of humans on this planet will never have the opportunity to step foot in a Disney park, onsite or off. Staying in a Disney resort doesn't make you "elite", just going to one of their parks even one day of your life makes you "elite". About 1/25 of 1% of the population will manage to go to WDW per year and even that number is probably high since I counted the attendance as all unique individuals instead of including repeat guests.

 

[dayvewc]

Yep, that would certainly work.

Thanks.

It also maintains onsite perk with length of stay replacing the +10, allows offsite pre-booking, and locks 100% of guest users into the parks. From Disney's perspective it wins all around.

 

[johde]

There could be a difference because my length of on-site stay exceeded the number of days my tickets were for. So that's one dataset.

Had I only booked one night but had 10 day tickets, I can't say what the result would have been but that is definitely another dataset.

Also throwing a wrench into the logic with your tickets is length of your resort stay matched the length before expiration on the tickets. So the computer might also have been smart enough to not allow you to book more than 14 days after your first use. The examples I've seen have involved people who have added the no expiration option to their tickets.

 

[dayvewc]

Also throwing a wrench into the logic with your tickets is length of your resort stay matched the length before expiration on the tickets. So the computer might also have been smart enough to not allow you to book more than 14 days after your first use. The examples I've seen have involved people who have added the no expiration option to their tickets.

What we need is a current MB holder without an AP or upcoming onsite stay to buy and link a base MYW ticket and see what happens.

 

[Brian Noble]

I asked this once before and was told that hoppers count toward the attendance at each park visited.

This is not true. It is only the first park of the day (unless something has changed in the last decade).

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID507040.asp

On Thursday, April 10th Jim Hunt, CFO and Jay Rasulo, President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts made a presentation as part of the Smith Barney Citigroup 2003 Tutorial Series.
...
If a guest uses a park hopper ticket, the park that first gets the guest gets credit for the visit. Parks that the guest "hops" to, do not. This is the standard that Disney uses, but it may not be used by others that operate in a multi-park environment.

 

[Laketravis]

Robo just opened a thread with this:

Full MyMagic+ testing for offsite guests to take place during January

Disney will soon begin testing the full range of MyMagic+ components for offsite resort guests.

During January 2014, selected offsite guests will be testing most of the MyMagic+ elements, including My Disney Experience, FastPass+ at all four parks and the use of MagicBands. Disney has previously said that MagicBands will be available to offsite guests for a fee in place of using the card based ticket media.

This test is significant, because it will represent the first time that offsite guests can use the full range of MyMagic+ services. The current tests of FastPass+ at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the upcoming Magic Kingdom test are restricted to just the FastPass+ component.

Not sure of the source.

 

[Robo]

Robo just opened a thread with this:

Full MyMagic+ testing for offsite guests to take place during January


Not sure of the source.

I put the source in the post.

It comes from where all of the recent FP+ info has originated:

www.wdwmagic.com/news.htm

 

[dayvewc]

Full MyMagic+ testing for offsite guests to take place during January

Disney will soon begin testing the full range of MyMagic+ components for offsite resort guests.

During January 2014, selected offsite guests will be testing most of the MyMagic+ elements, including My Disney Experience, FastPass+ at all four parks and the use of MagicBands. Disney has previously said that MagicBands will be available to offsite guests for a fee in place of using the card based ticket media.

This test is significant, because it will represent the first time that offsite guests can use the full range of MyMagic+ services. The current tests of FastPass+ at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the upcoming Magic Kingdom test are restricted to just the FastPass+ component.

This makes me wonder, because what is there for off-site guests left to test? Magic Memories, having a MB linked to a MDE account, linking a credit card for touch to pay, FP+ and pre-booking. Everything else (that I know and remember about MM+) deals with specifics of staying onsite (room keys).

Could this be the test to start letting off-site pre-book? Especially since all the rest can be linked to their RFID ticket media card?

 

[Laketravis]

I put the source in the post.

It comes from where all of the recent FP+ info has originated:

www.wdwmagic.com/news.htm

Thanks Robo!

 

[AliceandAriel]

Why is everyone making a fuss over the argument that "We bought the same tickets as people on-site, why can't we book FP+ early too?" Like, I'm genuinely confused.

For YEARS, everyone has spent the same on WDW tickets, but onsite guests get EMH, so technically they've been ahead of off-siters for a while now. With FP+, it's simply a newer perk to entice people to stay on site, and smart on Disney's end. Have people turned away from WDW in the past because they couldn't enjoy EMH due to staying offsite? Even of they have, they obviously weren't ROI guests anyway.

It all boils down to this: If you want the perks, you stay on site. If you don't, then you don't.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Why is everyone making a fuss over the argument that "We bought the same tickets as people on-site, why can't we book FP+ early too?" Like, I'm genuinely confused.

For YEARS, everyone has spent the same on WDW tickets, but onsite guests get EMH, so technically they've been ahead of off-siters for a while now. With FP+, it's simply a newer perk to entice people to stay on site, and smart on Disney's end. Have people turned away from WDW in the past because they couldn't enjoy EMH due to staying offsite? Even of they have, they obviously weren't ROI guests anyway.

It all boils down to this: If you want the perks, you stay on site. If you don't, then you don't.

EMH doesn't affect every park, every day. Disney as stated the reason for the new system was to lock guest into their parks before they ever leave their homes. Totally locking off-site guest out of any pre-booking is locking them into anything. Aren't on-site guest already kind of locked in? Pre-booking may in fact become for on-site guest only but that doesn't go with what Disney has said is one of the top goals of the new system.

 

[Planogirl]

Robo just opened a thread with this:

Full MyMagic+ testing for offsite guests to take place during January

Disney will soon begin testing the full range of MyMagic+ components for offsite resort guests.

During January 2014, selected offsite guests will be testing most of the MyMagic+ elements, including My Disney Experience, FastPass+ at all four parks and the use of MagicBands. Disney has previously said that MagicBands will be available to offsite guests for a fee in place of using the card based ticket media.

This test is significant, because it will represent the first time that offsite guests can use the full range of MyMagic+ services. The current tests of FastPass+ at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the upcoming Magic Kingdom test are restricted to just the FastPass+ component.

Not sure of the source.

Sometimes I feel invisible...

Anyway, as I've said I think that this is a good indication that at the very least booking FP+ via APP will be likely for even offsite guests. I see this as a good development.

 

[my4girls10]

Why is everyone making a fuss over the argument that "We bought the same tickets as people on-site, why can't we book FP+ early too?" Like, I'm genuinely confused. For YEARS, everyone has spent the same on WDW tickets, but onsite guests get EMH, so technically they've been ahead of off-siters for a while now. With FP+, it's simply a newer perk to entice people to stay on site, and smart on Disney's end. Have people turned away from WDW in the past because they couldn't enjoy EMH due to staying offsite? Even of they have, they obviously weren't ROI guests anyway. It all boils down to this: If you want the perks, you stay on site. If you don't, then you don't.

We have never cared about EMH. In fact, we avoid parks on those days. It's not a perk for us, even when staying on site. FP has always been associated with a ticket, not an on site resort. So to make that an on site resort perk only...it's just not okay. What's next? Only on site people can make ADRs, and the humble off site guests have to hope that we can get a walk up? That can be difficult during peak season.

I guess we can always find a turkey leg to gnaw on...

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[AuroraRora]

I wonder how much the fee for the off-site guests' MagicBands will be For a family with a bunch of kids, they may be cheaper springing for one night in a Value and getting free bands for everyone. Interesting...

 

[AliceandAriel]

We have never cared about EMH. In fact, we avoid parks on those days. It's not a perk for us, even when staying on site. FP has always been associated with a ticket, not an on site resort. So to make that an on site resort perk only...it's just not okay. What's next? Only on site people can make ADRs, and the humble off site guests have to hope that we can get a walk up? That can be difficult during peak season. I guess we can always find a turkey leg to gnaw on... Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I totally get where you're coming from. I mean, in reality, I don't like that in a sense they're taking something that was available to all and now giving it only to some. To me, that's skeevy. But Universal's been (sort of) doing it with their fotl pass for a while now. I'm sure there's a whole big uproar on that too, especially given the price (I know I will certainly never pay for it) which is more or less why I'm scratching my head at the uproar and revolt on Disney's decision to sort of do the same. Personally, I don't add anything wrong with them offering offsite guests to pre-book FP+ 14 days out (just a number, could be higher or lower and I'd still be okay with it) seeing as on site picks 60 days out. There has to be some kind of give for offsite unless Disney plans on jerking around offsite people while they build more hotels on property to increase their onsite numbers.

 

[AliceandAriel]

I wonder how much the fee for the off-site guests' MagicBands will be For a family with a bunch of kids, they may be cheaper springing for one night in a Value and getting free bands for everyone. Interesting...

My guess is they'll charge $5/band, but that's a generous guess. Hah!

 

[Robo]

My guess is they'll charge $5/band, but that's a generous guess. Hah!

I could see a sliding scale of prices for MB, based on the number of days and options on tickets purchased.

Maybe a "MagicBand Special" like a 7-day (or more) MYW with Water Park Fun and More option that includes a "free" MagicBand.

 

[patty57]

Sometimes I feel invisible...

Anyway, as I've said I think that this is a good indication that at the very least booking FP+ via APP will be likely for even offsite guests. I see this as a good development.

Planogirl posted this a couple of days ago in this thread, and then even started a thread about it. No offense Robo, but Planogirl scooped you on this one.

 

[Anal Annie]

Bingo. I made this point in another space in the Disney internet world but I think it's only logical to expect the hierarchy between onsite and offsite to continue to widen. Disney is a profit-maximizing business, not a charity. Anger (collectively applied, i.e., through lots of people staying away from the parks) will surely cause Disney to change course. But so long as the parks remain crowded, or least, they can find enough people to pay lots of money for what they're offering, they are going to continue on this path. And for what it's worth, Disney has resisted these changes for a long time and what they're now doing is far more typical. Lots of amusement/theme parks offer front-of-the-line-access-for-pay. This is a slightly more circumstantial way of doing that but in the end, the result is the same. And Disney is way behind their in-town competitors at Universal, who offer all-day front-of-the-line-access their onsite guests. Disney is just playing catch-up, very slowly.

But at least their competitors don't limit you to 1-park / day and only 3 attractions for front-of-the-line access. I think that's BS of Disney - as a DVC owner and AP holder this really irks me that they're limiting the availability of the system. We've already made a substantial investment in our park attendance for now and the future and now we're being punished for dropping all of our money in 1 bucket.

 

[Laketravis]

Sometimes I feel invisible...

Anyway, as I've said I think that this is a good indication that at the very least booking FP+ via APP will be likely for even offsite guests. I see this as a good development.

I "see" you.......

And I'm starting to rethink my original hypothesis; perhaps it was only wishful thinking in search of a reason to believe off-site guests wouldn't be able to schedule in advance. Upon further thought, if they really account for as high a percentage of guests as I've seen quoted, and Disney is stating that they want to see upwards of 90% of all guests using FP+, and if they simply don't want to piss off half their guests, I suppose they are going to have to give off-site guests the ability to schedule FP's in advance.

No matter who plays the parts, I don't like the way I think this movie is going to end..........