Non-resort guests can not reserve FP+ early

[snorkelyn]

It is NOT a very smart business decision. The choice ISN'T stay onsite vs. stay offsite. The choice is go to WDW or go somewhere else.

The decision to go to WDW is hard. While the level of entertainment is exceptional, the cost to go to WDW is huge. At present, the decision to go to WDW is only marginally better than going somewhere cheaper. The decision is only palatable because of the quality and low-cost of offsite lodging.

I can rent an entire new 3000 sq ft offsite house, with a private pool, for less than a 260 sq ft cinderblock special at All-Star Music.

If I am forced to pay a ton of extra money to stay in those tiny little rooms that WDW offers just so I can avoid more lines, then I simply will not go to WDW any more.

Last week, I had to decide between going to a fancy, expensive steakhouse, or going to the chain restaurant Outback Steak house. If the decision were marginal, I would go with the cheaper one. If the fancy steakhouse were more important, I'd wait a couple weeks to save for it.

You say "The decision to go to Disney is hard" Than you say
"The decision to go to Disney is only marginally better than elsewhere"
It sounds contradictory to me.

You can't expect to get the same thing for less than those who paid to be onsite. Someone said that they don't need the perks (such as buses), so they stay offsite where it is cheaper. Maybe Disney is trying to make the onsite perks more appealing by adding FP+ pre-booking. Offsites still get it- the day of.

Many resorts offer perks that people don't use, but still pay for. Many resorts have fitness centers people don't use. or have mandatory resort surcharges that include amenities some won't use.

I think it is a good business decision.

 

[summermac]

Wow. How quick is Ft Wilderness going to fill up now? LOL

 

[patty57]

You know, after all of our back and forth about onsite vs. offsite booking, I don't think WDW has said that offsite guests won't be able to make FP+ ahead of time...have they? People hear or read things, but has anything ever come out officially from WDW yet? Not that they have been saying anything about FP+ throughout the entire "testing" phase...

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I agree, and I think it should be an added perk for the $$$ people pay to stay on site. Off site guests still have access to fast pass+, they just don't have advance access. For all the people complaining that if they have to wait until they get to the park to get fast pass they will go elsewhere...please by all means, the parks are crowded enough. I just hope you realize that before MDE you couldn't get fast pass until you where in the park anyway, and you would have to run around from one end to the other to get them. At least now you can get them all booked at one time in one place.

One of the main differences in my opinion is that before if you stayed offsite and arrived at RD at say HS and took part in the dash to TSMM you would get a FP_. Now if you stay off site, arrive for RD at TSMM there is no guarantee FP+ will be available. In my opinion that stinks. I have stayed onsite and I love it. I love being in the Disney bubble but for my next trip I'm bringing my sis and her family..so 3 adults and 3 kids. I would spend at least about $900 more to stay onsite vs a 3 bedroom 2 bath condo. It's frustrating to spend the same amount for a park ticket and not be guaranteed a FP+ for your favorite ride. Will be interesting for sure to see how this all pans out.

 

[mom2rtk]

You know, after all of our back and forth about onsite vs. offsite booking, I don't think WDW has said that offsite guests won't be able to make FP+ ahead of time...have they? People hear or read things, but has anything ever come out officially from WDW yet? Not that they have been saying anything about FP+ throughout the entire "testing" phase...

Disney hasn't *said* anything about it. But they have *shown* us what their short term plan is with the way they are handling it at AK with offsite only getting same day access through kiosks.

One of the main differences in my opinion is that before if you stayed offsite and arrived at RD at say HS and took part in the dash to TSMM you would get a FP_. Now if you stay off site, arrive for RD at TSMM there is no guarantee FP+ will be available. In my opinion that stinks. I have stayed onsite and I love it. I love being in the Disney bubble but for my next trip I'm bringing my sis and her family..so 3 adults and 3 kids. I would spend at least about $900 more to stay onsite vs a 3 bedroom 2 bath condo. It's frustrating to spend the same amount for a park ticket and not be guaranteed a FP+ for your favorite ride. Will be interesting for sure to see how this all pans out.

I stay onsite but feel the same away. It really stinks that if you are offsite it doesn't matter HOW early you line up at the parks. You still might not get a FP for a certain number of rides (TSMM, Soarin, Mine Coaster). I think that's information someone deserves before plunking down $100+ on a single day ticket.

 

[dayvewc]

You know, after all of our back and forth about onsite vs. offsite booking, I don't think WDW has said that offsite guests won't be able to make FP+ ahead of time...have they? People hear or read things, but has anything ever come out officially from WDW yet? Not that they have been saying anything about FP+ throughout the entire "testing" phase...

The only thing I remember seeing lends me to think Disney will offer FP+ reservations to off-site. It was one of the interviews where Disney first started talking about the program and said something to the effect of "ticket holders having the ability to reserve their favorite rides."

 

[patty57]

Disney hasn't *said* anything about it. But they have *shown* us what their short term plan is with the way they are handling it at AK with offsite only getting same day access through kiosks.

I know. I'm wondering if this is the ultimate plan after all the "testing" is complete, or if it might end up differently.

 

[patty57]

The only thing I remember seeing lends me to think Disney will offer FP+ reservations to off-site. It was one of the interviews where Disney first started talking about the program and said something to the effect of "ticket holders having the ability to reserve their favorite rides."

Oh, offsite guests will absolutely be able to use FP+. They already are in AK. The question is will they be able to book ahead of time the way onsite guests can, or will they only be able to book the day of visit at the parks.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I agree, and I think it should be an added perk for the $$$ people pay to stay on site. Off site guests still have access to fast pass+, they just don't have advance access. For all the people complaining that if they have to wait until they get to the park to get fast pass they will go elsewhere...please by all means, the parks are crowded enough. I just hope you realize that before MDE you couldn't get fast pass until you where in the park anyway, and you would have to run around from one end to the other to get them. At least now you can get them all booked at one time in one place.

Well said! My husband is thrilled that he doesn't have to run to Soarin' to get a FP anymore. LOL!!!

 

[dayvewc]

Disney hasn't *said* anything about it. But they have *shown* us what their short term plan is with the way they are handling it at AK with offsite only getting same day access through kiosks.

And I don't see them as having "shown" us that at all. The ability to pre-book FP+ is (more likely) an off/on option on the MDE. Turning on *just* AK, or *just* MK, or *just* EP, or *just* HS, is most likely a bigger expense and hassle that Disney does not want to deal with. And why would they? Why pay for the IT needed to selectively turn on individual parks when, after full rollout, it would be an option never needed? It makes much more sense to me that during the rollout, off-site guests simply do not have the pre-booking option turned on in their MDE, but after all parks are set to FP+ only, the switch is flipped and Boo-yah, it works for all.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Disney hasn't *said* anything about it. But they have *shown* us what their short term plan is with the way they are handling it at AK with offsite only getting same day access through kiosks.

I stay onsite but feel the same away. It really stinks that if you are offsite it doesn't matter HOW early you line up at the parks. You still might not get a FP for a certain number of rides (TSMM, Soarin, Mine Coaster). I think that's information someone deserves before plunking down $100+ on a single day ticket.

That's my main concern. For onsite let's say you go to make FP+ at 60 days out and you aren't able to get what you want. You can cancel. Off site doesn't have that luxury. I really don't know how Disney can exclude offsite folks though. Don't they make up a fairly large percentage of the visitors. I know I have seen those numbers floating around in some previous threads.

 

[dayvewc]

Oh, offsite guests will absolutely be able to use FP+. They already are in AK. The question is will they be able to book ahead of time the way onsite guests can, or will they only be able to book the day of visit at the parks.

And I still think that offsite will be able to book ahead of time. The interview that explained the ability to pre-book specified that it would be an ability for "ticket holders". If I stay off-site, I still have to have a ticket to go to the park.

I may be completely wrong. But I will continue to believe that off-site will be able to pre-book until at least 6 weeks after the last park is FP- free, or if Disney explicitly says otherwise sooner.

 

[dayvewc]

That's my main concern. For onsite let's say you go to make FP+ at 60 days out and you aren't able to get what you want. You can cancel. Off site doesn't have that luxury. I really don't know how Disney can exclude offsite folks though. Don't they make up a fairly large percentage of the visitors. I know I have seen those numbers floating around in some previous threads.

The one I always see/hear is that offsite is half of all visitors. I do not vouch for the veracity of that statistic, just that it is the one I see most frequently.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Well said! My husband is thrilled that he doesn't have to run to Soarin' to get a FP anymore. LOL!!!

But you all better be ready to run to TT if you want to ride that as well!

 

[patty57]

And I still think that offsite will be able to book ahead of time. The interview that explained the ability to pre-book specified that it would be an ability for "ticket holders". If I stay off-site, I still have to have a ticket to go to the park.

I may be completely wrong. But I will continue to believe that off-site will be able to pre-book until at least 6 weeks after the last park is FP- free, or if Disney explicitly says otherwise sooner.

They absolutely might be able to book ahead of time. Who the heck knows? The only ones who do know aren't saying anything.

 

[FireDancer]

That's my main concern. For onsite let's say you go to make FP+ at 60 days out and you aren't able to get what you want. You can cancel. Off site doesn't have that luxury. I really don't know how Disney can exclude offsite folks though. Don't they make up a fairly large percentage of the visitors. I know I have seen those numbers floating around in some previous threads.

Disney isn't excluding anyone from FP+. It is entirely possible, and in my opinion preferable, to go to Disney and not make a single FP+ selection at all let alone before hand. I don't know why people want to micro-manage their vacations like that. I prefer to just do what I feel like doing at the time and not worry about keeping to schedules I made months in advance. I don't make ADRs on park days for the same reason.

I have never not ridden something I wanted because of lack of legacy FastPasses and won't because of lack of FP+. I am just willing to wait in line and don't need Disney to provide me with a mechanism to avoid them.

 

[McKelly]

I have to think the Swan/Dolphin can't be happy about this.

Do we know for sure they won't be included in pre-booking FP, since they have other on-site perks?

 

[patty57]

Do we know for sure they won't be included in pre-booking FP, since they have other on-site perks?

We don't know anything for sure, but so far, the S/D guests have been making day of visit FP+ reservations in the parks. How it turns out is anyone's guess.

The FP+ "test" at the S/D is scheduled through January 12th. I wonder what will happen after that?

 

[hopemax]

Disney will make more money (and have happier guests in a less crowded park) if they make their money filling up the rooms. So what if a few offsite guests don't go. They are replacing that revenue with higher occupancy rates.

This makes an assumption that Disney can increase their occupancy rates faster than off-site guests are cancelling their trips. It's not like WDW has been floundering at 50 or 60% occupancy rates. Disney is "capped" with how many off-site guests they can transition to on-site. In the busy season, Disney might only have about 5% occupancy to play with. It seems like there is not an insignificant risk, during these periods, for more off-site people to stop visiting than Disney could possibly absorb.

Disney will hope that people will rebook their off-site July trip to on-site in January, but that ignores that many people are limited by their children's and their own vacation time, many people simply can't move their travel dates. So the potential remains for a lot of simply cancelled off-site visits.

The things we need to know:

Ratio of on-site to off-site guests
Unused hotel capacity available at WDW
Percentage of guests "aware" of the changing conditions and are at risk of changing travel plans
Repeat vs First time guests

If most off-site people aren't aware of the difficulties in securing a seat on a popular ride until after their vacation has started, there is no potential loss of a cancellation. If most people aren't repeat guests than the potential loss of upset people never returning is small; they were never coming back anyway. But in an age where social media is ever growing, I would start to think that all the "so why won't you go back to WDW?" answers would start to build up to the point where they do start to affect the bookings of First time guests.

 

[patty57]

This makes an assumption that Disney can increase their occupancy rates faster than off-site guests are cancelling their trips. It's not like WDW has been floundering at 50 or 60% occupancy rates. Disney is "capped" with how many off-site guests they can transition to on-site. In the busy season, Disney might only have about 5% occupancy to play with. It seems like there is not an insignificant risk, during these periods, for more off-site people to stop visiting than Disney could possibly absorb.

Disney will hope that people will rebook their off-site July trip to on-site in January, but that ignores that many people are limited by their children's and their own vacation time, many people simply can't move their travel dates. So the potential remains for a lot of simply cancelled off-site visits.

The things we need to know:

Ratio of on-site to off-site guests
Unused hotel capacity available at WDW
Percentage of guests "aware" of the changing conditions and are at risk of changing travel plans
Repeat vs First time guests

If most off-site people aren't aware of the difficulties in securing a seat on a popular ride until after their vacation has started, there is no potential loss of a cancellation. If most people aren't repeat guests than the potential loss of upset people never returning is small; they were never coming back anyway. But in an age where social media is ever growing, I would start to think that all the "so why won't you go back to WDW?" answers would start to build up to the point where they do start to affect the bookings of First time guests.

Really good points. Social media changes everything when it comes to disseminating information.