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

[Ismo]

I have absolutely no idea how our trip in August is going to go with the new FP+ system.

We have the park hopper option, but mainly because we like to eat at Epcot most nights. And we usually get there early to walk around and go through all of the shops. So even if I can't get FPs at multiple parks, I think I still be okay with this.

There are a couple of things I think will be good about the new system. We went last year around Easter, they were not testing the new system when we were there. It was BUSY! We would get to Epcot for opening and literally race 100s of people to Soarin, and still NOT get a FP time for the ride. We would get there and the sign would say there were none left. It thought for sure we'd never get on the ride, but we did luckily after trying 4 days. People were getting fast passes, jumping off and booking new fast passes. And I'm sure there were people "abusing" the system.

There were times when we couldn't get a FP return time for some rides, but the line was only about a 15-20 minute wait.

Another thing I like about the new system, is that it's going to force me to wait in some lines. I actually want to wait in the Toy Story Midway Mania line, I've never seen Mr. Potato head and really want to!

I believe that WDW is continuously working on making this whole system better. It's a huge undertaking both physically and technologically. I read somewhere that they plan on expanding the options as they fix current issues. I guess from a programmer's point of view, I know that sometimes fixing something that I thought would be simple to fix usually ends up being the thing that eats up my life for a month at a time.

I agree that it will stink to have to pick our FPs in advance and that we can't really play the day by ear. But on the other hand, I won't have to race to a Tier 1 ride first thing in the morning to try to get my spot on it.

So I am nervous about our next trip. I feel like I need to learn a whole new game plan to make the most out of our time there. But I'm trying to stay positive and keep faith that Disney is trying to make this work for everyone, and will eventually get there.

Time will tell I guess.

I'm sorry for everything who is having negative experiences. I understand that when you pay the kind of money you have to pay for Disney you expect a certain level of service and experience in return.

Good luck to all of you!!!

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

The continued assertions that those who don't like FP+, but haven't yet been to the park, are coming to that conclusion because of the speculation of others is a bit...well, ridiculous, IMO.

You can only get 3 FPs/day - Fact
You can only use FP+ in one park/day - Fact
You cannot use FP+ more than once/attraction - Fact
You cannot use a FP+ for every headliner in every park - Fact

There are other facts as well, but really those are the main ones. These are all facts, not speculation. These are what I, and I'd be willing to bet many others, have based their current views on FP+ on. I don't need anyone else's in park experience or speculation to tell me that 3 FP+s a day is less helpful to me for a day in MK than the 5-7 we got on our last 2 trips.

Am I saying that WDW is "completely ruined"? No. As with many here, I will adjust our touring as we can to accommodate the new rules because I acknowledge that that has to be done. That doesn't mean I have to like making that adjustment But not liking the adjustment also ≠ WDW being completely ruined either.

The funny thing is that many of those that love FP+ will say that they wish they could get more than 3, that there wasn't tiering and that they wish they could use them in more than one park. Those are many of the mainly complaints by those of us in the "haters" club. I have not used it in the parks but I have yet to hear any of the positives that outweigh the things that were lost.....being able to pull more than 3 a day, being able to use in more than 1 park, being able to repeat rides and being able to get one for all the headliners in a park if you were willing to get to the park by 11 a.m.

This is the day our family had the second week of June last summer. We rode over 20 rides and pulled 9 paper FPs. Do any of those that love FP+ believe our family will be able to repeat that kind of day under the new system of a 8 or 9 crowd day and Disney loading the FP lines at 9 a.m.....that is already a line in front of me before I ever walk through the gate no matter what I do....even waking up at the "crack of dawn".

 

[JanaDee]

The funny thing is that many of those that love FP+ will say that they wish they could get more than 3, that there wasn't tiering and that they wish they could use them in more than one park. Those are many of the mainly complaints by those of us in the "haters" club. I have not used it in the parks but I have yet to hear any of the positives that outweigh the things that were lost.....being able to pull more than 3 a day, being able to use in more than 1 park, being able to repeat rides and being able to get one for all the headliners in a park if you were willing to get to the park by 11 a.m.

This is the day our family had the second week of June last summer. We rode over 20 rides and pulled 9 paper FPs. Do any of those that love FP+ believe our family will be able to repeat that kind of day under the new system of a 8 or 9 crowd day and Disney loading the FP lines at 9 a.m.....that is already a line in front of me before I ever walk through the gate no matter what I do....even waking up at the "crack of dawn".

I think that is a good point. Every single guest starts the day at a disadvantage before the park even opens.

 

[puffkin]

The funny thing is that many of those that love FP+ will say that they wish they could get more than 3, that there wasn't tiering and that they wish they could use them in more than one park. Those are many of the mainly complaints by those of us in the "haters" club. I have not used it in the parks but I have yet to hear any of the positives that outweigh the things that were lost.....being able to pull more than 3 a day, being able to use in more than 1 park, being able to repeat rides and being able to get one for all the headliners in a park if you were willing to get to the park by 11 a.m.

You personally may not put a lot of value on some of the benefits, just like others may not personally put a lot of value on the things you perceive as being lost. I am not saying one is right or wrong, I am just saying how your family tours is not how my family tours and most of the changes will actually benefit us...we just had to change some of our park strategies. Everyone thinks their strategy is the best, but in actuality there are soooo many variables of what people need and want in a vacation that there is no "right way". I think the research they did would be fascinating to look at to see what they perceive the typical guest experience to be. Being involved on a lot of project implementation jobs at my workplace, I cannot even begin to imagine the scope of the FP+ project.

 

[magicbob]

The funny thing is that many of those that love FP+ will say that they wish they could get more than 3, that there wasn't tiering and that they wish they could use them in more than one park. Those are many of the mainly complaints by those of us in the "haters" club.

FP+ lover: "I Love FP+, but I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

FP+ hater: "I don't like FP+ because I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

Someone want to explain why it's such a mortal sin to dislike the same exact things that most proponents of the system don't like either????

We rode over 20 rides and pulled 9 paper FPs. Do any of those that love FP+ believe our family will be able to repeat that kind of day under the new system of a 8 or 9 crowd day and Disney loading the FP lines at 9 a.m.....that is already a line in front of me before I ever walk through the gate no matter what I do....even waking up at the "crack of dawn".

No, they don't. And they are extremely pleased that you can no longer do that at the expense of others.

 

[ArwenMarie]

FP+ lover: "I Love FP+, but I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

FP+ hater: "I don't like FP+ because I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

That's pretty funny when you see it written out like that

I can see liking one piece of FP+ (prebooking). But the tiers and the limits are also part of FP+ by design.

 

[puffkin]

No, they don't. And they are extremely pleased that you can no longer do that at the expense of others.

Exactly

 

[2Tiggies]

No, they don't. And they are extremely pleased that you can no longer do that at the expense of others.

Funny thing is that these 'others' never had a problem with the way 'we' toured until now

I can see liking one piece of FP+ (prebooking). But the tiers and the limits are also part of FP+ by design.

Yes. Funny thing II: I accept that pre booking is one of the positives for many who enjoy FP+ but it's right up top with the things I dislike about it (the overscheduled/locked in part).

 

[Mad Hattered]

No, they don't. And they are extremely pleased that you can no longer do that at the expense of others.

It's just like that "every kid deserves a freakin' trophy for participating crap" they pull these days! No, they don't! Like Ricky Bobby so proudly stated, "If you ain't first, you're last!"

 

[bobbie68]

Yes. Funny thing II: I accept that pre booking is one of the positives for many who enjoy FP+ but it's right up top with the things I dislike about it (the overscheduled/locked in part).[/QUOTE]

 

[Love Tink]

We would get to Epcot for opening and literally race 100s of people to Soarin, and still NOT get a FP time for the ride. We would get there and the sign would say there were none left. It thought for sure we'd never get on the ride, but we did luckily after trying 4 days. People were getting fast passes, jumping off and booking new fast passes. And I'm sure there were people "abusing" the system.

If you were there at opening and still couldn't get an FP for Soarin'...I don't think people "'abusing' the system" was the problem.

If people were arriving, pulling a FP, riding Soarin', and then waiting to pull another FP (meaning they would have had to wait until 9:45 at the very earliest), one would think you - there at opening - could have beat them to the FP machines in the intervening hour.

 

[JanaDee]

FP+ lover: "I Love FP+, but I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

FP+ hater: "I don't like FP+ because I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

Someone want to explain why it's such a mortal sin to dislike the same exact things that most proponents of the system don't like either????

 

[Ismo]

If you were there at opening and still couldn't get an FP for Soarin'...I don't think people "'abusing' the system" was the problem.

If people were arriving, pulling a FP, riding Soarin', and then waiting to pull another FP (meaning they would have had to wait until 9:45 at the very earliest), one would think you - there at opening - could have beat them to the FP machines in the intervening hour.

To be honest, I'm not sure what was happening. I was just guessing on what the problems could have been. I know that for most of our trip Test Track was down so Soarin probably had double the amount of people riding it.

I don't do well in aggressive crowds and the crowds around Soarin' were scary when we were there. So I was just using that as an example as why I might like the new FP system.

But who knows, I won't really know for sure what it's going to be like for us until we get there this time. Trying to stay positive and not stress too much about it since it's out of my hands...at least that's what DH would tell me!

 

[Laketravis]

FP+ lover: "I Love FP+, but I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

FP+ hater: "I don't like FP+ because I don't like that you can only get 3, can't repeat rides, can't park hop, and I don't like tiers."

Someone want to explain why it's such a mortal sin to dislike the same exact things that most proponents of the system don't like either????

Finally, after almost two years of "testing", someone has articulated the asinine logic supporting this entire debate.

Kudos to you, sir.

 

[jharaldson]

Yes. Funny thing II: I accept that pre booking is one of the positives for many who enjoy FP+ but it's right up top with the things I dislike about it (the overscheduled/locked in part).

I have seen comments like this a number of times and they kind of confuse me. In the old FP- world you went to a kiosk and got a slip that scheduled you for a time block. In the new FP+ world you use the site, the app, or a kiosk and you are scheduled for a time block. Both systems resulted in you getting "scheduled" for rides. Why is the guest getting to choose a time worse than getting a random one from a machine?

 

[morethananyonex]

I have seen comments like this a number of times and they kind of confuse me. In the old FP- world you went to a kiosk and got a slip that scheduled you for a time block. In the new FP+ world you use the site, the app, or a kiosk and you are scheduled for a time block. Both systems resulted in you getting "scheduled" for rides. Why is the guest getting to choose a time worse than getting a random one from a machine?

Because for many of us being unable to choose your own time was the only downside of FP-, and bring able to choose your own time is one of the only positive aspects of FP+. The other aspects of FP-, which were overall not limiting, made the scheduled time blocks feel much less rigid than FP+ does.

FP+ made us feel very scheduled and concentrated on getting the most out of the system, where FP- did not give us that feeling, even having to stick to whatever times we were given.

 

[2Tiggies]

Because for many of us being unable to choose your own time was the only downside of FP-, and bring able to choose your own time is one of the only positive aspects of FP+. The other aspects of FP-, which were overall not limiting, made the scheduled time blocks feel much less rigid than FP+ does.

FP+ made us feel very scheduled and concentrated on getting the most out of the system, where FP- did not give us that feeling, even having to stick to whatever times we were given.

And to add to this if I may, under the old system, meeting friends in the park and being able to walk up to an attraction together, look at the return time and decide in the moment "That will work" or "lets try something else" was a lot less painful than having to go through a glitchy app and try find some random time that is available to everyone.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have seen comments like this a number of times and they kind of confuse me. In the old FP- world you went to a kiosk and got a slip that scheduled you for a time block. In the new FP+ world you use the site, the app, or a kiosk and you are scheduled for a time block. Both systems resulted in you getting "scheduled" for rides. Why is the guest getting to choose a time worse than getting a random one from a machine?

For me? I have a much better idea of what I'll be doing an hour or two from now (as our FP windows were rarely much further out than that, sometimes quicker) when I'm actually in the park doing things than I have 60 days ahead of time (or even the night before).

We would usually pull a FP for one ride in a land, like Space, and then do some of the surrounding attractions like Buzz, the laugh floor, TTA, while we waited for our FP window to open. I have no idea 60 days out what land I'm going to be in at what time, but now if I choose to use FP+, I do have to plan to be in that land at that time.

Yes, I know the FP+ system is supposed to remain flexible, as it is now..but we already have reports that people are having difficulties changing FPs on the day of on busy days, and that's with offsite people being relegated to day-of selecting. Who knows what will happen to that flexibility when offsite can prebook as well.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have seen comments like this a number of times and they kind of confuse me. In the old FP- world you went to a kiosk and got a slip that scheduled you for a time block. In the new FP+ world you use the site, the app, or a kiosk and you are scheduled for a time block. Both systems resulted in you getting "scheduled" for rides. Why is the guest getting to choose a time worse than getting a random one from a machine?

Because until you walk in the park that day, all options are still open. When you take the slip, you know what the weather is like. You know if your child is ill. You know what the standby wait is like. You know whether your child is finally brave enough to ride Rock N Rollercoaster. You know whether nobody slept well and you want to leave the park early.

Without a crystal ball, it's really hard to know those things 60 days out.

And most importantly, if you take a slip and it doesn't pan out, you aren't limited to only 2 more that day. The stakes are much higher when you can only get 3.

 

[jharaldson]

Yes, I know the FP+ system is supposed to remain flexible, as it is now..but we already have reports that people are having difficulties changing FPs on the day of on busy days, and that's with offsite people being relegated to day-of selecting. Who knows what will happen to that flexibility when offsite can prebook as well.

This makes sense. You are concerned that the glitches in the MDE app prevent you from doing the on-demand scheduling you prefer and that the popularity of the new FP+ system is taking up many of the slots and giving you limited selection when you are in the park mid-day.