Not a fan of FP+..positive update #193 (sort of...)

[PaulaVonSchweetz]

Maybe people are just choosing the wrong rides to FP if they are having such long wait times.... maybe some should rethink their planning strategy?? Certain rides are just better at certain times..... ie: Soarin - 1st ride of the day would be ideal.
I for one have not waited on anything sb more than 20 minutes much like many other posters.

Every time I've booked fp+ my options have been workable and only once have I had to change a time.....which that ride still had time slots available.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Thanks, So basically people could just use the fast pass and then get a new one after the pervious was used. We never used the fast pass much. Well that is not abuse I agree.

But early on in the new system I saw people taking many old plastic cards (park tickets etc.) and getting many fast passes over and over. This was not one person going for the entire family. That is abuse of the system. They would go to the kiosk furthest away from a CM. I saw some people get called out by the CM but not much came of it. So I was wondering if that was still going on. Someone said no. Not sure though. Thanks

The abuse you are talking about started when Disney started "testing" the new system. They turned off the part of the kiosks that showed a ticket had to be used to enter a park to get a paper FP. But all of that is little concern anymore. There are no kiosks to get paper FPs anymore. They have all be covered or removed. Everyone gets 3 per day.

Before "testing" started, any ticket used to pull a paper FP had to be used to enter the park so expired tickets or KTTW cards could not pull paper FPs. There was abuse of this kind under the old system. The old tickets just won't work to get a paper FP.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Has anyone tried to force install the android phone app on a tablet? In theory it might work.

I don't know how to do this.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I think another thing that affect how much you like the new system is how many park days you have. Most all of our family trips we have 3 park days. We spend 1 day in each park but skip AK. There is no coming back another day and FP+ing the ride you missed the first day you were there. During the second week of June last year, we rode over 20 rides on our MK day. I do not expect to repeat that day with the new system. And that day included an early dinner ADR in the park.

Yes. I could be much more relaxed and leave the parks to go swimming every afternoon if I had a full week or more in the parks. We have extended family to visit and other things to do in Florida, not to mention the two-day drive each way.

If people are going to continue stereotyping about the kind of people who don't like FP+, I will generalize that people who love FP+ tend to be people who visit multiple times per year and/or have at least seven park days per trip. I would probably like FP+ if I were them, too.

 

[MarieA]

We leave Sat to spend 3 days at WDW. We have been over 40 times, but never with this new FP+ system. I am an avid planner for the hotel and we normally have a vague plan, but now with FP+ and the dining plans you cannot do anything without planning your every min of every day. Gone are the days that you could wake up and say, hey, let's not do MGM today, let's go to Epcot and do rides and lunch there. Heck, you can't get into a sit down rest without ressies now and now you cannot ride the rides you want either. When I say flexibility, it isn't just changing the times on a FP, but being able to wait out a storm or go to a different park if you want. Kind of sad. I really enjoyed not having a commando vacation.

You said exactly what I feel. We've been to WDW over 25 times. The only thing I plan in advance is the hotel stay and some dining reservations. We decide in the morning what park we will visit that day. We stay in the park for the morning, go back to the hotel for the afternoon and at night go to a different park. We have a trip planned for 5/3 - 5/13 and this will be our first trip with FP+. Neither my DH or myself want to wear the Magic Bands and we will not be using the FP+ system. I am hoping that the standby lines are not too long and that this whole FP+ system will not negatively impact my vacation. We haven't toured commando style in many years and enjoy being able to relax and just get on rides that don't have long lines. I can honestly say that this is the first time I am a little nervous about our upcoming WDW vacation.

 

[johde]

We leave Sat to spend 3 days at WDW. We have been over 40 times, but never with this new FP+ system. I am an avid planner for the hotel and we normally have a vague plan, but now with FP+ and the dining plans you cannot do anything without planning your every min of every day. Gone are the days that you could wake up and say, hey, let's not do MGM today, let's go to Epcot and do rides and lunch there. Heck, you can't get into a sit down rest without ressies now and now you cannot ride the rides you want either. When I say flexibility, it isn't just changing the times on a FP, but being able to wait out a storm or go to a different park if you want. Kind of sad. I really enjoyed not having a commando vacation.

Like you said for most people that ship said with the Dining plan and trying to get "hot" ADR's. At least right now, because of Tiering and Disney apparently holding back FP+ slots for day of use, people seem to be having good luck doing what you suggest. Waking up in the morning and deciding to go to a different park and switching FP+ on the bus ride to the park. Now, I will say for the "avid planner" you won't be able to pull out your Epcot plan and follow it because you're FP+ times are different now and at the mercy of what's still available.

I have not taken a FP+ vacation but it seem to me, the choice to have a "commando vacation" whether FP+ or FP- still comes down to mindset. If you were planning a relaxing day in the park you could plan a FP at 10:00 one at 3:00 and one at 8:00 and not need to get into "commando mentality". Just in the Morning I'm doing fantasy land and around 10:00 I need to do ETWB. After Lunch We're finish up Fantasy Land before going on to Tomorrowland. At 3:00 we have our Space Mountain FP. After Supper it's off to Frontierland about 8:00 we need to be near BTMRR for that FP. Definitely doesn't need to be commando.

If on the other hand you booked 1:00 ETWB, 2:00 Space Mountain, 3:00 BTMRR Sure your cutting the longest lines on the day but your running around like a chicken with it's head cut off and at least the afternoon feels very "commando"

 

[puffkin]

Just in case some people missed it, paper fast pass are no longer in use at any of the parks so you can't "double dip" the system like some could during the early days of the testing.

You said exactly what I feel. We've been to WDW over 25 times. The only thing I plan in advance is the hotel stay and some dining reservations. We decide in the morning what park we will visit that day. We stay in the park for the morning, go back to the hotel for the afternoon and at night go to a different park. We have a trip planned for 5/3 - 5/13 and this will be our first trip with FP+. Neither my DH or myself want to wear the Magic Bands and we will not be using the FP+ system. I am hoping that the standby lines are not too long and that this whole FP+ system will not negatively impact my vacation. We haven't toured commando style in many years and enjoy being able to relax and just get on rides that don't have long lines. I can honestly say that this is the first time I am a little nervous about our upcoming WDW vacation.

I see your point (and we travel very similar to you) but I can also see the flip side of many, many people that only go to Disney 1 or 2 times ever and LOVE the option of booking everything in advance and making sure they can reserve their must do's before their trip even starts because they aren't coming back in 6 months like many of us here on the DIS.

I am also confused why you wouldn't book FP+ for the evenings (which is what we plan on doing)? That way you are guaranteed 3 headline attractions. Since your plans may change and you weren't heavy FP- users in the past, it won't cost you anything if you don't use them or decide to go to a different park that day. I just don't understand why you wouldn't at least try it out? You don't need the magic bands to do it, if your ticket is RFID enabled.

Please realize I am not accusing you, but generalizing that this is exactly the type of situation where someone will come back then and say how they couldn't do this or that and how everything stinks when in reality it is just not adapting to change. Again, not saying this is the case with you, but just in general and why every comment on these boards needs to be taken with a grain of salt

 

[flatlandcycle]

I don't know how to do this.

In the ten minutes of checking, it isn't an easy fix without root. If I get some time this weekend I will do some testing...

I wonder if MDE would work on a tablet with the browser forced to desktop mode.

 

[flatlandcycle]

I wonder if MDE would work on a tablet with the browser forced to desktop mode.

Mine works from the stock android Browser and I choose "Request desktop site []" from the three dots(settings) in the upper right corner of the browser. The MDE opens with the "Please Upgrade Your Web Browser" warning, which I ignored...

 

[MarieA]

I see your point (and we travel very similar to you) but I can also see the flip side of many, many people that only go to Disney 1 or 2 times ever and LOVE the option of booking everything in advance and making sure they can reserve their must do's before their trip even starts because they aren't coming back in 6 months like many of us here on the DIS.

I am also confused why you wouldn't book FP+ for the evenings (which is what we plan on doing)? That way you are guaranteed 3 headline attractions. Since your plans may change and you weren't heavy FP- users in the past, it won't cost you anything if you don't use them or decide to go to a different park that day. I just don't understand why you wouldn't at least try it out? You don't need the magic bands to do it, if your ticket is RFID enabled.

Please realize I am not accusing you, but generalizing that this is exactly the type of situation where someone will come back then and say how they couldn't do this or that and how everything stinks when in reality it is just not adapting to change. Again, not saying this is the case with you, but just in general and why every comment on these boards needs to be taken with a grain of salt

Most times we return to the parks after dinner around 8 just to see the fireworks. We hardly ever ride anything at that time unless we are there for EMH. We stay at BCV so many nights we will walk over to the International Gateway, go over to France to get a glass of wine and watch Illuminations. I wouldn't book FP+ if I didn't intend to use it, it isn't fair to other people who want to use it.

I've also read so many different stories regarding the RFID cards - some people say you can get them, others say the hotels do not have them so I am a little worried about it. I don't want to have start my vacation on the wrong foot at check in being told we can't get a RFID card. My DH has already said he is not wearing a Magic Band, he doesn't wear anything on his wrist (not even a watch) when we are at WDW because of the heat. I've already tried wearing the MB (my daughter has them from a trip in October) and found it to be uncomfortable. As long as I can get RFID cards I will be fine. However, I am a still concerned that standby lines will be much longer then they usually are.

Some changes that have been made at WDW have been good and some bad. We have adapted to those changes (even the bad ones). When the price of the Dining Plan skyrocketed and they took away an appetizer and the tips were OOP, we just stopped getting it and started dining differently. We now spend much less on our food at WDW than we did when we paid for the dining plan. Disney lost a good portion of our dining dollars as a result of the changes.

 

[johde]

I see your point (and we travel very similar to you) but I can also see the flip side of many, many people that only go to Disney 1 or 2 times ever and LOVE the option of booking everything in advance and making sure they can reserve their must do's before their trip even starts because they aren't coming back in 6 months like many of us here on the DIS.

I am also confused why you wouldn't book FP+ for the evenings (which is what we plan on doing)? That way you are guaranteed 3 headline attractions. Since your plans may change and you weren't heavy FP- users in the past, it won't cost you anything if you don't use them or decide to go to a different park that day. I just don't understand why you wouldn't at least try it out? You don't need the magic bands to do it, if your ticket is RFID enabled.

Please realize I am not accusing you, but generalizing that this is exactly the type of situation where someone will come back then and say how they couldn't do this or that and how everything stinks when in reality it is just not adapting to change. Again, not saying this is the case with you, but just in general and why every comment on these boards needs to be taken with a grain of salt

I agree and can also see several FP+ strategies for the "non planner" that are better than SB all day. Especially if you're staying onsite and you have a smartphone.

1. Wait until you're on the bus to make for FP+ selections for late morning in the park your going to. That way after touring in the morning you get at least a couple of more short lines before heading back to your resort for the evening break.

2. Your plan on making several potential evening FP+ selection. This you could do at home. If you decide to go to a different park in the evening, make your New FP+ selections in the room during your break or once again even on the bus to the park.

3. If you're staying onsite and don't have a smartphone or laptop. You can still make same day FP+ reservations at locations not currently usable to day guests and as such the lines are shorter. So, enjoy your day, and when you get to a spot you can make FP+ reservations with a short line hop on and see whats available.

The point both of us are making while some people may have preferred FP- to FP+, waiting standby all day could be worse than either one of them.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Maybe people are just choosing the wrong rides to FP if they are having such long wait times.... maybe some should rethink their planning strategy?? Certain rides are just better at certain times..... ie: Soarin - 1st ride of the day would be ideal.
I for one have not waited on anything sb more than 20 minutes much like many other posters.

Every time I've booked fp+ my options have been workable and only once have I had to change a time.....which that ride still had time slots available.

Well I can't FP+ Soarin' and Test Track, so I will have to ride one at standby right away. However, my kids LOVE both of those rides and we used to reide each multiple times a day. Since they are not old enough use the single rider line, we will not be able to do that anymore. And now I have to choose the "right ride: before I even get to the park.

Just some thoughts as I've read through the rest of this thread...

As evidenced by this particular thread, I think many of the complaints are coming from people who haven't had the opportunity to try out the new FP+ system and are basing the majority of their opinions on assumptions given by other people who haven't used the new FP+ system either. I completely expect that there will be far less "ruined" vacations when people actually get to use FP+. But, I also expect that we will continue to see every possible experience on the spectrum... but that's not exclusive to FP+, as it's always been that way for one reason or another.

Maybe, if people would stop jumping on the opportunity to spew so much negativity, it would be easy to recognize that not every positive experience is happening only to those who've been labeled "defenders of FP+"... similarly, it needs to be noted that not all of the negative opinions are coming from people who actually know what they're talking about based on a real experience.

FP+ isn't perfect - not by a long shot. There will be plenty of people who actually use it and hate it. I, personally, did not find it to be a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad thing. But, really, don't you think you should at least USE IT first, before verbally vomiting all over the place about how terrible it is?

So should people also be required to use it before they profess how much they love it?

I got to use FP+ last year. Loved the magic bands. I have to admit that FP+ was nice to have FP+ on the few days we didn't head to park until 3 pm, but overall I was not impressed and that was BEFORE they added tiers and I still had access to legacy FP. I found myself checking my watch constantly. Having been to Disney several times before, I thought I had a good idea of when we would be in a certain area of a park to use a FP ( we were with my mom and I really wanted to cut down on backtracking), but I was wrong. One day at Epcot we missed our return time for Test track. When I tried to change our fast pass later (to anything), I couldn't. Because I was past my window, I only had the ability to change our return time, but becuase there were no more fast passes for Test Track, I was stuck. (Was this addressed during the last app update?) And sometimes, I couldn't open the app at all because there was a "blip."

We are planning another trip and I'm hoping that the crowds will be low enough to keep standby waits reasonable, but I'm a little concerned about MK. I have already told my kids that we will not be able to ride the headlines as much as we have on past trips. But if we experience a lot of increased waits, especially at secondary attractions and start to feel locked in, we will have to re-examine.

 

[bobbie68]

But before you never would have scheduled your fastpass 2 months in advance.

You would have known the day's weather before you made your choices. You would have known it little Suzy vomited the night before. You knew if there was a long standby wait at the line you wanted to pull a fastpass for. You knew if Johnny got up that morning declaring that Test Track was the absolute best ride in the world and couldn't wait to ride it. You knew whether Mary finally had the courage to tackle Tower of Terror. And you started each day with 100% of a ride's capacity still available to get. If you wanted to do something, you knew with 100% certainty that if you showed up early, you could do that ride.

I agree with you. I think the over planning is crazy. We like to change up our plans if we need too. Now we feel like we are stuck with the plans we are making a couple of months ahead.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I guess just chalk it up to some people will never be happy

And if you need more than 6 charges a day on your cell phone, I think you need a new phone

I DID say I need a new phone. I said I didn't want to upgrade early in case of emergency.

I was always happy at Disney. I have dozens of trips under my belt. 5 upcoming trips in 2014. Sorry if you feel insulted that I don't agree with you, and if YOU are happy with the changes maybe it is, as you said it won't negatively impact YOUR trip. But I have had enough wonderful and magical trips to know exactly where this will negatively impact my trip.

It is a little simplistic to imply that all you have to do is just do evening FP+. You still haven't answered why I should be happy that I expect to do less in the morning and that having an nice evening TS signature meal makes evening FP+ more difficult. So if you feel the need to repeat over and over how YOU will be fine, I'm OK with that why all the negativity with people who aren't willing to accept that there is now less value in their trip.

It looks like this thread is going in the same direction as most of them with wildly varying opinions and "experiences" on both sides. While a few seem to get it, others just can't seem to grasp that we all have different needs and expectations and the new system will work for some and not so well for others. That doesn't make anyone right or wrong.

As for "abusing the system", no one did that. People did exactly what Disney allowed and I think that Disney is smart enough to be well aware of it. As for getting extra fastpasses with the plastic cards, that happened only briefly during conversion to the new system. That had nothing to do with long lines except in the short term at the time.

I don't know where "use" became "abuse" either.

Just some thoughts as I've read through the rest of this thread...

As evidenced by this particular thread, I think many of the complaints are coming from people who haven't had the opportunity to try out the new FP+ system and are basing the majority of their opinions on assumptions given by other people who haven't used the new FP+ system either. I completely expect that there will be far less "ruined" vacations when people actually get to use FP+. But, I also expect that we will continue to see every possible experience on the spectrum... but that's not exclusive to FP+, as it's always been that way for one reason or another.

Maybe, if people would stop jumping on the opportunity to spew so much negativity, it would be easy to recognize that not every positive experience is happening only to those who've been labeled "defenders of FP+"... similarly, it needs to be noted that not all of the negative opinions are coming from people who actually know what they're talking about based on a real experience.

FP+ isn't perfect - not by a long shot. There will be plenty of people who actually use it and hate it. I, personally, did not find it to be a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad thing. But, really, don't you think you should at least USE IT first, before verbally vomiting all over the place about how terrible it is?

You're right I am not in the parks. But I am having difficulty scheduling in my FP+ around my TS restaurants. I've redone them three times. I do plan ahead so I am planning on longer SB lines.

We haven't hit peak season with FP+ prebooking so your ARE right. When the SB lines go through the roof AND FP+ aren't available for what people want I guess THEN is when the vomiting stops?

Just in case some people missed it, paper fast pass are no longer in use at any of the parks so you can't "double dip" the system like some could during the early days of the testing.



I see your point (and we travel very similar to you) but I can also see the flip side of many, many people that only go to Disney 1 or 2 times ever and LOVE the option of booking everything in advance and making sure they can reserve their must do's before their trip even starts because they aren't coming back in 6 months like many of us here on the DIS.

I am also confused why you wouldn't book FP+ for the evenings (which is what we plan on doing)? That way you are guaranteed 3 headline attractions. Since your plans may change and you weren't heavy FP- users in the past, it won't cost you anything if you don't use them or decide to go to a different park that day. I just don't understand why you wouldn't at least try it out? You don't need the magic bands to do it, if your ticket is RFID enabled.

Please realize I am not accusing you, but generalizing that this is exactly the type of situation where someone will come back then and say how they couldn't do this or that and how everything stinks when in reality it is just not adapting to change. Again, not saying this is the case with you, but just in general and why every comment on these boards needs to be taken with a grain of salt

Adapting to change is different than accepting less for the same amount of money. The only place I love, love in the evening is Epcot and walking WS. OK so now I have to give that up too? We stay at an Epcot resort for that reason. Nice dinner. Walk over to Epcot. Grab a wine and stroll. No I don't want to run around doing headliners because that is all that is available.

I agree with you. I think the over planning is crazy. We like to change up our plans if we need too. Now we feel like we are stuck with the plans we are making a couple of months ahead.

Not to mention checking daily for Parade FP+

 

[MichelleVW]

I think the times you both visited made a difference in your experiences. Most spring breaks don't start until the 3rd week of March and later. Some universities let out the 2nd week, but not many elementary or secondary schools(or maybe that's just more of a Midwest trend). It is also necessary to rope drop if you expect to ride attractions several times.

Pretty much ALL of Texas, from Colleges down to Kindergarten was on spring break last week. Parks were packed last week.

You said exactly what I feel. We've been to WDW over 25 times. The only thing I plan in advance is the hotel stay and some dining reservations. We decide in the morning what park we will visit that day. We stay in the park for the morning, go back to the hotel for the afternoon and at night go to a different park. We have a trip planned for 5/3 - 5/13 and this will be our first trip with FP+. Neither my DH or myself want to wear the Magic Bands and we will not be using the FP+ system. I am hoping that the standby lines are not too long and that this whole FP+ system will not negatively impact my vacation. We haven't toured commando style in many years and enjoy being able to relax and just get on rides that don't have long lines. I can honestly say that this is the first time I am a little nervous about our upcoming WDW vacation.

I don't understand why you won't schedule a few Fast passes? I'm not a huge planner...but I usually look at the crowd predictions and come up with a which park which day plan and then just schedule a few. We are far from commando anymore and scheduling Fast Pass plus just makes our touring so much more relaxed. We know we can stay late at an evening EMH and know we can still get on Toy Story the next afternoon. You should seriously at least schedule a few...you might find you like it.

Sorry you guys hate the Magic Bands but after two trips I think they are awesome. Less to carry and I don't have to dig out my wallet every time I want a pretzel. We would forget they were on and wear them to Target, Buffalo Wild Wings etc.

 

[Kristine316]

I Don't mean to sound snarky, but I find it hard to believe people are upgrading to smartphones JUST so they can use FP easier at WDW. That would be a ridiculously dumb life choice since most smart phones come with hefty price tags, pricey monthly charges, and lengthy contracts. Js.

That said, I'm really hoping they have more of these issues worked out before we get there on July. I really feel for the people that have had such negative experiences with it. I'm holding out hope that Disney is listening and will respond accordingly.

Actually that is exactly what I am going to do. I guess I am "ridiculously dumb".

I have been putting off getting a smart phone for awhile now. I just had no interest and felt the phone I was using was perfectly acceptable. My husband had been bugging me to upgrade and I kept putting it off. We have a trip coming this fall so, I figured because of FP+ I would go ahead and upgrade... so yes you could say because of Disney's new system I have been convinced I should upgrade before we go. Call me dumb or call me stubborn but, either way I making the change now because of our vacation.

I agree with you that most people would not get a smart phone to take a Disney vacation. I would guess that most people already have smart phones but, considering all the reasons people upgrade their phones my guess is using it on a $4000 vacation is probably one of the least "dumb" reasons.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I don't understand why so many people are upset at the lack of FP availability when trying to switch times/attractions.
We never had that option before MM+ so why can't everyone just accept the changes for the better and learn how to get the most out of the trip they have planned.

I can't count anymore how many times I've been told by someone on here that one of the reasons I should like FP+ over legacy FP is the flexibility of being able to switch your time and attractions as your needs require. It has been one of the main discussion points here for those that like FP+ to try and convince those that don't like FP+ that it really is a good thing.

**disclaimer: I'm not saying that you, PaulaVonSchweetz, said any of that, just that it has been said by many pro-FP+ people here.**

So...it's supposed to be a reason to really like FP+, but if the flexibility isn't there after all, it's not like you had it with legacy FP, so no big deal...those two things don't really go together

 

[Angel Ariel]

I would be interested to know how many people abused the system before?? I never even understood quite how it was done. But I know when I was waiting on line with my one fast pass for Toy Story Midway last trip in October with my young child there were MANY families talking about the multiple scores they had THAT DAY on the ride. I thought how is this possible???

I learned.... and I could be wrong..that many found they could use old plastic ticket cards and get fast passes on each one at the kiosks. No wonder why the line to Toy Story is sooooo long. Again I do not know how they were doing it but they obviously no WAY waited on standbye line to go on the ride that many times in one day even if they came at rope drop. I have been on the ride Twice and we visited Disney for 12 days. I think Disney is trying to level the playing field for those not able or willing to out think the fellow park goers.

This type of abuse that you witnessed in October 2013 was not possible prior to Disney testing FP+. At some point during the FP+ testing, Disney turned off the requirement that the ticket media had to be used for entry in the park that day (I can't remember why, but I remember posts about it here).

Please be assured, the above was not the case for the vast majority of the time legacy FP was in effect.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I don't understand why you won't schedule a few Fast passes? I'm not a huge planner...but I usually look at the crowd predictions and come up with a which park which day plan and then just schedule a few. We are far from commando anymore and scheduling Fast Pass plus just makes our touring so much more relaxed. We know we can stay late at an evening EMH and know we can still get on Toy Story the next afternoon. You should seriously at least schedule a few...you might find you like it.

Is it really so difficult to believe that some people don't want to schedule their vacation? I mean, it's not how I'd choose to vacation at WDW, but if it's someone else's preference, they have a right to it! And they have a right to be frustrated if changes at WDW will effect how they tour.

Seriously, it's stuff like this that is really just...rude, IMO. There's just no better word. If I started telling a pro-FP+ person that I didn't understand why they toured the way they did, and if they just toured my way they might find they'd feel the way I feel, it would be seen as rude and unnecessary. I seriously do not understand why it's OK for pro-FP+ people to act that way towards those who are not thrilled with FP+.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Been here for 5 days and we are doing fewer rides/attractions and spending less time enjoying the pixie dust due to the the limited FPs and limited flexibility.

Our family was never an abuser of the system but be usually had 4-6 FPs per day. We did "stand-by", too, but we always had time to stop and soak up the Disney atmosphere along the way. If we saw that we were going to miss a FastPass, we would give it away and get another for later in the day. We enjoyed making up our days as we go.

This trip, each FastPass takes longer to do (with the longer lines) and we are spending more time in Stand-by lines...... which is less time free to shop, spend, and soak up all things Disney.

Also, the "change your FPs on the fly" is not working out for me very well. Twice, I have tried to change times and/or attractions the day before and created a big mess. In one instance, I wanted to change TT for Soarin... two days in advance (not the same day), so I dropped TT but the times for Soarin' were 6:30 or later in the evening. We had plans for that evening, so I tried to get back TT but the same thing happened. So, I lost a good time spot for TT and got stuck with a time that will not work for us.

It would have helped my immensely to know what times are available before going thru the change/replace process.

For the major attractions, I am not finding availability throughout the day. That makes me nervous to change or drop or replace an existing FP.

All of these changes were made from a laptop in our resort room. I haven't tried to make changes from my cell phone in the parks.

Just another observation from a well-heeled DisneyWorld AP DVC fan.

So sorry your trip has been less than magical. How are the standby lines? I have had reports of them being not too bad and others of them being pretty long. I can deal with 3 FP+s, if I can ride minor attractions with minimal waits.

It stinks that you can't change the fps on the fly any more. That worked back in November, but Nov is no comparison to now. No tiering and offsite guests didn't even have the option to use FP+.